^'^^i  ^'^«ARy 


Copyright,  B.  J.  Falk.    1»92. 


Editor  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  HERALD. 


ii'.M    8    1351 

FROM  U/-''  ^^, 

MANGER  TO  THRONE 

EMBRACING 

A  NEW  LIFE  OF  JESUS  THE  CHRIST 

AND 

A  HISTORY  OF  PALESTINE  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 

BY 

REV.  T.  DeWITT  TALMAGE,  D.D. 

EDITOR    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN    HERALD 

INCLUDING  AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  AUTHOR'S  JOURNEY  TO,  THROUGH 
AND  FROM  THE  CHRIST- LAND 

ILLUSTRATED  WITH  MORE  THAN  TWO  HUNDRED  SUPERB  ENGRAVINGS  BY 

DISTINGUISHED  ARTISTS,  AND  PHOTOTYPES  FROM  NATURE,  FORMING 

A  BEAUTIFUL  AND  COMPLETE  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE 

PICTURESQUE  BIBLE  LANDS 

AMONG    THE    ILLUSTRATIONS    ARE    MANY  ACCURATE    COPIES    OF    FAMOUS 
PAINTINGS    BY  THE   OLD    MASTERS 


US 


PUBLISHED  AND  MANUFACTURED  BY 
HISTORICAL  PUBLISHING  COMPANY,   PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 

FOR 

THE  CHRISTIAN  HERALD 

BIBLE  HOUSE,  NEW  YORK 
1893 


Copyright,  1SS9,  by  H.  S.  vSmith. 
Copyright,   1S93,  by  H.  vS.  Smith. 


Copyright  by  Historical  Publishing  Co.,  1890. 

D.  Appleton  &  Co.,  1880,  1S81, 1882,  1S83,  1890. 

Louis  Klopsch,  1890,  1891,  1892, 1893. 


PREFACE. 


In  my  American  home,  on  the  Atlantic,  on  the 
Mediterranean,  on  camel's  back,  on  mule's  back, 
on  horseback,  under  chandelier,  by  dim  candle 
in  tent,  on  Lake  Galilee,  in 
convent,  at  Bethel  where 
Jacob's  pillow  was  stuffed  with 
dreams  and  the  angels  of  the 
ladder  landed,  at  the  brook 
Elah,  from  which  little  David 
picked  up  the  ammunition  of 
five  smooth  stones,  four  more 
than  were  needed  for  crushing 
like  an  egg-shell  the  skull  of 
Goliath,  in  the  valley  of 
Ajalon,  over  which,  at  Joshua's 
command,  Astronom)^  halted, 
on  the  plain  of  Esdraelon,  the 
battle  field  of  ages,  its  long  red 
flowers  suggestive  of  the  blood 
dashed  to  the  bits  of  the 
horses'  bridles,  amid  the  shat- 
tered masonr\'  of  Jericho,  in 
Jerusalem  that  overshadows 
all  other  cities  in  reminiscence, 
at  Cana  where  plain  water 
became  festal  beverage,  on  Calvary  whose 
aslant  and  ruptured  rocks  still  show  the 
effects  of  the  earthquake  at  the  awful 
hemorrhage  of  the  five  wounds  that  pur- 
<  chased  the  world's  rescue,  and  with  my 
^  hand  mittened  from  the  storm,  or  wet 
from  the  Jordan,  or  bared  to  the  sun,  or 
gliding  over  smooth  table,  this  book  has 
been  written. 
On  the  steamer  "  City  of  Paris,"  mid-ocean,  a 
stranger  knowing  I  was  on  the  way  to  the  Holy  Land  in  order  better  to  write  a 
Life  of  Christ,  was  overheard  to  say  :  "  I  hope  Dr.  Talmage  will  write  a  Life  of 
Christ  which  a  business  man,  getting  home  at  eight  o'clock  at  night  and  starting 
from  home  next  morning  at  seven  o'clock  may  profitably  take  up,  and  in  the  few 
minutes  before  he  starts  and  after  he  returns,  read  in  snatches  and  understand." 


PREFACE. 

So  it  shall  be.  Not  a  word  of  Latin  or  Greek  in  all  the  book,  unless  it  be 
translated.  We  shall  tell  the  story  in  Anglo-Saxon,  the  language  in  which  John 
Bunj-an  dreamed  and  William  Shakespeare  dramatized,  and  lyongfellow  romanced 
and  John  Milton  sang,  and  George  Whitfield  thundered.  What  is  the  use  of 
dragging  the  dead  languages  into  the  service  of  such  a  book  ?  Sailing  on  the 
Atlantic  ocean  I  asked  where  did  all  this  water  come  from,  and  answered  it  b}'' 
saying,  "The  Hudson,  the  St.  Lawrence,  the  Mississippi,  the  Amazon,  the  Seine, 
the  Tagus,  the  Guadalquiver."  And  so  I  thought  all  the  rivers  of  language, 
freighted  with  the  thought  of  all  lands  and  all  ages,  have  emptied  into  the  ocean 
of  Anglo-Saxonism.  Blessed  to  me  was  the  hour  when  ray  mother  taught  me  how 
to  frame  the  first  sentence  out  of  it,  and  my  last  word  on  earth  shall  be  a 
draught  upon  its  inexhaustible  treasury-. 

I  wrote  this  book  for  the  masses.  Who  are  the  masses  ?  The  most  of 
folks.  They  are  the  nine  hundred  and  ninety-nine  out  of  the  thousand.  I  hope  the 
title  of  the  book  will  be  suggestive  of  its  contents.  There  are  so  many  Lives  of 
Christ  that  I  wished  to  get  a  name  not  yet  employed.  On  the  rail  train  from  St. 
Louis  to  New  York,  and  while  arriving  at  Alliance,  Ohio,  it  flashed  upon  me — 
"From  Manger  to  Throne." 

WIDE    THANKS. 

The  saddle-bags  that  hung  over  my  horse  all  the  waj'-  from  Jerusalem  to 
Damascus  were  filled  with  volumes  to  which  I  am  obligated.  In  making  this 
book  I  have,  as  far  as  time  and  ability  would  allow,  ransacked  the  world  of 
literature,  sacred  and  secular,  and  I  hereby  acknowledge  my  indebtedness  to  all 
who  have  helped  fill  up  the  reservoirs  of  information  :  Among  others,  to 
Josephus's  Jewish  Antiquities,  Milman's  History  of  Christianity,  Jahn's  Hebrew 
Commonwealth,  Smith's  Dictionary  of  the  Bible,  Dollinger's  First  Age  of  the 
Church,  Kitto's  Encyclopedia,  Trench's  Miracles  and  Parables,  Lynch's  Explo- 
ration of  the  Dead  Sea,  Guizot's  Spirit  of  Christianity,  Lightfoot's  Revision  of  the 
New  Testament,  Strauss 's  New  Life  of  Christ,  Robinson's  Biblical  Researches, 
Atwater's  Sacred  Tabernacle,  Thomson's  Land  and  Book,  Geikie's  Life  of 
Christ,  Hanna's  Life  of  Christ,  Farrar's  Life  of  Christ,  Willitt's  Miracles, 
Schenkel's  Character  of  Jesus,  Sweeney's  Under  Ten  Flags,  Young's  Christ  of 
Histor3^  De  Pressense's  Jesus  Christ,  Tischendorf '  s  Synopsis  of  the  Gospels, 
Stanley's  Sinai  and  Palestine,  Field's  Among  the  Holy  Hills,  Her\^ey's 
Genealogies  of  Our  Lord,  Plumptre's  Christ  and  Christendom,  Prime's  Tent  Life 
in  Palestine,  Bishop  Wordsworth's  Four  Gospels,  Clarke's  Rambles  Among 
Ruins,  Stuart's  Capernaum,  Taylor's  Life  of  Christ,  Macduff's  Brighter  than  the 
Sun,  Eddy's  Immanuel,  and  personal  friends. 

The  book  is  now  launched.  May  the  prayers  of  all  good  people  waft  it  on 
a  happy  voyage,  ,. 

BROOKLYN.   NEW  YORK.  ^ /S^^l^^  7^:^^*^^^^ 


My  Journey  To,  Through,  and  From  the  Christ-Land. — Why  I  went  to  Palestine — The 
misgivings  of  friends — Across  the  Mediterranean — The  Acro-Corinthus  at  Corinth — At 
Athens — Doxologies  in  Stone — Among  the  heathen  gods  and  goddesses — Paul  on  Mars' 
Hill — A  stepping-stone  to  Golgotha — Presented  to  the  Queen  of  Greece  and  ex-Empress 
of  Germany — Mohammedans  at  their  devotions — A  trip  through  Egypt — The  gate-way  to 
Africa — Queer  sights  in  the  land  of  the  Pharaohs — A  hard  journey — Mary  and  Joseph  in 
Egypt — Through  the  streets  of  Ciiro — A  room  in  which  the  infant  Christ  tarried — Monuments 
of  the  Ages — The  Sphinx,  Pyramids  and  Nilometer — Gorgeous  Palaces — Looking  upon  the 
mummy  of  Pharaoh,  the  Oppressor — Writing  on  camel's  back — Over  the  way  of  the  Israelites 
— From  Memphis  to  Cairo — The  Battlefield  of  Tel-el-Kebir — A  dangerous  harbor — At 
Joppa — Jonah  and  the  whale — All  aboard  for  Jerusalem — Scenery  Alpinian  in  grandeur — 
A  vision  of  the  Holy  City — On  the  sacred  hill  Golgotha — Reading  the  divine  tragedy  on 
Mount  Calvary — Where  the  three  crosses  stood — The  place  of  a  skull — The  glory  of  Solo- 
mon— His  wealth  and  magnificence  of  surrounding — The  grief  of  David — The  great  temple 
of  Herod — Where  Elijah  was  fed  by  the  ravens — Bedouins  of  the  desert — View  of  the  Dead 
Sea — At  the  foot  of  Quarantana — Temptation  of  Jesus — A  baptism  in  the  Jordan — On  the 
way  to  Bethlehem — Over  the  way  that  Mary  and  Joseph  traveled — David's  wish — By  sacred 
places  of  the  Holy  Land — Camped  at  Bethel — At  the  ruins  of  Ahab's  ivory  palace — Sitting 
at  the  well  of  Jacob — A  watering  place — A  plague  of  dogs — In  the  valley  of  Jezreel — 
Description  of  a  Khan — A  funeral  in  Palestine — Memorable  places  in  Jewish  history — Jesus 
afoot — Over  the  Mount  of  Olives — Cana  and  the  Mount  of  Beatitudes — Burial  of  a  girl — 
Lake  Galilee — A  storm  on  the  lake — l]y  Tiberias — A  ride  on  the  lake — "  Lord,  save  or  we 
perish  "  — At  the  ruins  of  Capernaum — The  Mount  of  Transfiguration  —A  blizzard — Through 
Syria — Discomforts  of  travel  in  Palestine — The  people  of  Palestine — On  the  way  to 
Damascus — The  street  called  Straight — A  place  of  battle  and  massacre,  of  affluence  and 
splendor — Bazaars  of  Damascus — Christmas  in  Bey  rout — Among  friends — Off  the  island 
of  Cyprus — The  excavations  of  Cesnola — Where  Paul  and  Barnabas  preached — Over  the 
way  that  Paul  traveled — The  isle  of  Patmos — On  to  Ephesus — Why  Paul  wanted  his  cloak — 
Tradition,  history  and  fact — Confirmation  of  New  Testament  records — Christ  the  outdoor 
teacher — Impressions  produced  by  my  trip  through  the  Holy  Land — A  new  Bible — Over- 
whelming   testimony,  irresistible   conviction 


33-96 


CONTENTS. 


FROIVI     IVtANGER    TO    THRONE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE. 

Morning  Glories. — The  Holy  Land — History  of  the  country — Decline  and  ruin  of  its  great 

cities Ancient  Tyre  and  Sidon  — Wars  that  de  vastated  them — Famous  places  of  sacred  history — 

The  plains  of  Esdraelon — Samaria — The  eye  of  the  East — Description  of  Damascus — Mas- 
sacre  of  Christians — History   of  Jerusalem — The   country   and   its   people — The  walls   of 

Jerusalem Jerusalem  of  to-day — The  rivers  of  Palestine — The  Dead  Sea — How  Sodom  and 

Gomorrah   were   destroyed — Brooks    of    Palestine — Agricultur-al    and    pastoral    pursuits — 

Present  inhabitants — Tribes  of  History 97-120 


CHAPTER  II. 

Bloody  Events  in  the  Reign  of  Herod. — Division  of  Palestine — A  history  of  Herod's  rule 

Institution  of  forbidden  carnivals — Oppression  of  the  Jews — Horrible  atrocities — Herod's 

determination  to  destroy  the  seed  royal — Calamities  that  befel  the  nation — A  royal  domesiic 
imbroglio — Execution  of  the  two  princes — Herod's  terrible  condition — The  rabbis  incite  an 
outbreak — The  Roman  eagle  torn  down — Rabbis  and  students  burned  at  the  stake — The 
horrible   death  of  Herod , 121-130 


CHAPTER  III. 

Jewish  beliefs  respecting  the  MessFah. — Examination  of  the  old  prophecies — Religious 
and  civil  condition  of  the  Jews — Power  and  pretentions  of  the  rabbis — Christ  pictured  as  the 
God  of  War — The  restoration  of  Israel  promised — The  blessings  that  should  follow  Christ's 
appearing — Legend  of  Mary's  mother — A  description  of  Mary — Her  rare  beauty 131-137 

CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Angel  Prophet. — A  wondrous  epoch — Culmination  of  Herod's  reign — A  contrast 
between  fiends  of  darkness  and  the  radiant  hosts  of  eternal  life — The  first  heavenly  mani- 
festation— The  Divine  presence  in  the  Holy  Temple — The  germ  of  righteousness  still 
preserved — Zacharias'  ministrations  in  the  Temple — How  the  Temple  service  was  conducted — 
A  wondrous  vision  startles  Zacharias — "  Fear  not,  Zacharias !  " — Gabriel  foretells  the  birth  of 
John — How  Zacharias  received  the  announcement — Zacharias  and  EUzabeth  in  their  moun- 
tain home  in  Hebron— John's  mission 138-143 

CHAPTER  V. 

Mary,  the  Blessed  among  Women. — The  people  manifest  an  expectation  of  Christ's  early 
appearing — Their  subjection  to  the  Romans — judah  to  become  master  of  the  world — Peace 
had  spread  her  white  sails — Gabriel  again  is  the  bearer  of  tidings  from  heaven  —Holy  Mary ! — 
Legends  respecting  Mary — Her  betrothment  to  Joseph — Customs  of  betrothment  —Gabriel's 
announcement  to  Mary — "  Hail,  thou  that  are  highly  favored  " — How  Mary  received  the 
Divine  messenger — Fear  of  public  opprobrium — Gabriel  calms  her  perturbations — Mary 
hastens  to  inform  her  cousin — Her  journey  to  Hebron — Meeting  between  Mary  and  Elizabeth 

They  exchange   confidences — The  road  that  Mary   traveled — Return    to    Nazareth   and 

doubts  of  Joseph — Joseph  is  fully  informed  in  a  dream — The  marriage  celebrated 144-153 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

pagb; 
The  Rough  Cradle  of  our  King.— Noble  character  of  Joseph— Strange  fulfillment  of  Micah's 
prophecy — lis  lull  significance — Effects  of  the  Jewish  captivity — The  registration  for  taxation 
—  Mary  and  Joseph  journey  to  Bethlehem — Patriotic  and  pious  reflections — Arrival  at  Beth- 
lehem— The  inns  crowded — Joseph  and  Mary  compelled  to  seek  shelter  in  a  stable — God  in 
a  manger — The  birth  of  Jesus — Cradled  in  a  manger — No  comfort  or  privacy— A  look  in 
upon  the  stable  where  Christ  was  born — Oh,  glorious  night ! — The  choir  of  heaven — Angels 
bear  the  glad  news  to  startled  shepherds — "Glory  to  God  in  the  highest" — "Behold,  I 
bring  you  glad  tidings  " — The  constellation  of  immortals  becloud  the  sky — An  oratorio  of 
doxology — The  shepherds  at  the  manger — The  grotto  in  which  Christ  was  born — Its  desecra- 
tion by  Adrian — Church  of  the  Nativity — The  dedication  to  God — Naming  of  Jesus — Cere- 
monies attending  the  birth  of  a  child — The  rite  of  purification — A  visit  to  the  Temple 

Magnificence  of  the  Temple — Sacrificing  in  the  Temple — The  declaration  and  prophecy  of 

Simeon  and  Anna — Return  to  Bethlehem 154-167 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Visit  of  the  Wise  Men  from  the  East. — Riddle  of  the  "Wise  Men" — Chaldean  sooth- 
sayers— Fortune-tellers  in  all  countries — Evidences  of  God's  immediate  direction  of  His 
people — Schools  of  the  prophets — A  religion  based  on  occultism — Magi  of  the  East — Daniel 
in  the  school  of  the  soothsayers — The  Chaldean  sages — Believers  in  the  art  of  divination — 
Zoroastrianism  and  magianism— Teachings  of  Zoroaster — Surprising  knowledge  of  astronomy 
among  the  Persians — Arts  of  the  Egyptians — The  tliree  kings,  or  Wise  Men — Who  were  they  ? — 
How  were  they  infoi-med  of  the  birth? — Other  manifestations  equally  astonishing — Balaam's 
prophecy — Following  the  star — The  Wise  Men  are  questioned  by  Herod — They  find  the 
babe  in  the  manger — Offerings  of  rich  gifts — Significance  of  their  offerings — They  avoid 
Herod  and  return  to  Persia — Traditions  of  the  three  kings — Herod  is  jealous  of  the  Infant 
King — Unable  to  find  the  Babe,  he  orders  the  young  children  about  Bethlehem  destroyed — 
The  escape  into  Egypt — Joseph  is  directed  in  a  dream — Tlie  place  of  sojourn  in  Egypt — 
Return  to  Bethlehem  and  thence  to  Nazareth — Death  of  Herod  the  Great,  and  accession  of 
Archelaus 168-180 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Christ,  the  Boy. — Little  found  in  the  canonical  books  concerning  Christ's  boyhood — Christ  the 
village  lad — Apocryphal  history  of  Christ's  boyhood — Many  strange  legends — Early  impres- 
sions of  Christ — His  rambles  over  mountain  and  plain — Efiects  of  His  surroundings — 
Experiences  from  whence  He  drew  His  sublime  illustrations — A  storm  that  swept  the  valley 
— Christ  at  the  bench — Supporting  a  widowed  mother — ^Jesus  as  a  boy  among  the  sages  of 
Jerusalem — Lost  at  the  feast — The  search — Found  conversing  with  the  doctors — His  learned 
questioners  confounded  by  His  wisdom 181— 193 

CHAPTER  IX. 

A  Voice  from  the  Wilderness. — The  boyhood  of  John — His  training  for  the  priesthood — 
Adopting  the  life  of  an  ascetic — Recluses  numerous  in  those  days — The  examples  of  Elijah, 
Jeremiah,  St.  Anthony  and  Peter  the  Hermit — The  wilderness  of  Judea — Condition  of  Judea 
at  the  time  of  John's  appearing  as  a  preacher — The  spirit  that  instructed  John — Remarkable 
changes  succeeding  the  death  of  Herod — Pilate's  impolitic  act  precipitates  an  outbreak — 
John's  call  to  repentance — His  great  success — Crystal  gates  of  the  Jordan — Thousands  are 
baptised  and  hail  him  as  the  Messiah — Were  John  and  Jesus  acquainted  ?^ Jesus  is  ready  to 
begin  His  ministry — His  baptism  by  John —Wonderful  manifestation  of  His  Messiahship — 
The  teachings  of  John — A  crowned  villain  denounced — John  is  cast  into  prison — 1  lis  compos- 
ure under  every  wrong — The  dance  of  death — Herodias  procures  the  death  of  John — The 
sensuous  feast — Salome's  request  for  the  head  of  John — John's  resignation  to  the  sword  of 
the  executioner — His  head  handed  to  Salome  on  a  salver — The  shameful  end  of  her  infamous 
mother 194—207 


CONTENTS. 
CHAPTER  X. 

PAGE. 
Jesus  Assaulted  by  Satan. — Jesus  repairs  to  the  mountain  after  His  baptism — The  purpose 
of  His  retirement — Why  He  was  subject  to  the  temptations  of  Satan — The  dreary  solitudes 
of  the  Jordan  mountains — Forty  days  without  food — The  temptation — How  Satan  approached 
Him — Appeals  made  to  His  hunger,  to  love  of  ostentation,  to  ambition,  are  all  refused — 
The  vision  from  Quarantana — Jesus  rebukes  Satan — He  returns  to  John — Jesus  is  hailed  by 
John  as  the  Son  of  God — Jesus  seeks  a  lodging  place  and  is  followed  by  two  brothers,  named 
John  and  Andrew — They  become  His  first  disciples — Peter  joins  them — Philip  likewise 
becomes  a  disciple  and  induces  his  friend  Nathanael  to  join  them — A  happy  journey  to  the 
shores  of  Galilee 208-215 

CHAPTER  XI. 

The  Marriage  Feast  in  Cana. — The  joy  of  a  bride — A  wedding  in  common  life  among  the 
Jews — Some  singular  customs — A  marriage  festival — Jesus  and  His  mother  invited — A  short 
supply  of  wine — Consternation — Mary  informs  Jesus  of  the  insufficiency — Preparing  for  the 
first  miracle — Six  jars  of  sparkling  water  blush  into  finest  wine  at  the  word  of  Jesus — By  the 
sea  of  Galilee — Importance  of  Capernaum — Jesus  attends  the  passover  at  Jerusalem — April 
in  Palestine — The  road  that  led  to  Jerusalem — A  tremendous  gathering  of  people — Appearance 
of  Jerusalem  at  the  time  of  a  national  festival — The  sacred  places  profaned  by  tradesmen — 
Jesus  drives  the  money-changers  and  traders  from  the  Temple — The  excitement  that  followed 
— Jesus  teaches  the  astonished  people — Nicodemus  seeks  an  interview  with  Jesus — Why  he 
came  under  the  cover  of  night — Jesus  instructs  him 216-226 

CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Discourse  by  the  Well. — Jesus  preaching  in  Judea — The  significance  of  baptism — 
Doctrines  o]iposed  to  John's — Fears  aroused  by  the  arrest  of  John — Jesus  departs  from  Judea 
and  enters  Samaria — Seeds  for  an  after  harvest — History  of  the  Samaritans — Description  of 
the  journey  through  that  province — The  beautiful  vale  of  Mukhna — Jacob's  well — Jesus 
discourses  with  the  woman  of  Samaria — He  declares  to  her  his  Messiahship — Goodly  quali- 
ties of  the  Samaritans — Jesus  teaches  the  people  of  Nablus — Jesus  is  royally  welcomed  at 
Cana 227-236 

CHAPTER   XIII. 

A  Cure  in  High  Life. — Joy  in  Capernaum — Affliction  in  a  house  of  luxury — Appeal  of  the 
nobleman — His  dying  boy  restored — The  nobleman  and  his  house  believe  on  Jesus — Christ 
goes  into  retirement  lor  a  season— The  cause — A  bloody  battle  in  the  Temple— Jesus  besought 
as  a  leader  -Jesus  appears  in  the  Synagogue  at  Nazareth — He  reads  a  prophecy  concerning 
Himself — The  congregation  become  resentful — ^Jesus  rebukes  their  hypocrisy — They  attempt 
to  throw  Him  from  a  precipice — How  He  escaped — Jesus  returns  to  Capernaum — Condition 
of  the  people — The  disciples  called  to  their  labors — The  eloquence  of  Jesus — A  demoniac 
undeviled — Possession  of  demons — A  typhoid  fever  arrested — The  cure  of  Peter's  mother — 
A  hospital  following  Christ 237-247 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Christly  Labors  in  Galilee. — Gratitude  and  praise  offerings — Jesus  retires  from  the  crowd  to 
pray  —  The  disciples  and  people  go  out  in  search  of  Him— The  means 'necessary  to  salvation 

Circles  of  mercy — The  worst  disease   extirpated — The  leprous  patient — A   diagnosis    of 

leprosy — Mosaic  laws  respecting  lepers — Significance  of  the  cure  of  the  leper — A  great  haul 

of  fishes The   fierce  bigotry   of  Rabbinism — The  Pharisees  keep  a  watch  on  Jesus — An 

invalid  shoulders  his  mattress— "  Thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee  "—Seeking  to  bring  Jesus  into 
disrepute 284-261 


CONTENTS 
CHAPTER  XV. 

PAGE. 
Called  from  the  Custom  House. — Commercial  importance  of  Capernaum — How  and  from 
whom  customs  were  collected — The  collectors,  or  publicans  held  in  reproach — The  call  of 
Matthew — Feast  at  the  house  of  Matthew — The  people  condemn  Jesus  for  eating  with 
publicans — His  rebuke  of  their  worldliness — Apostles  chosen  and  the  Church  of  Christ 
founded — Trying  conditions  of  apostleship — The  prayer  on  Mount  Hattin — Candidates  for 
apostleship rejected — Who  and  from  whence  came  the  apostles? — Examples  of  History  .    .    262-271 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

The  Blessedsof  Mount  Hattin. — The  Horns  of  Hattin — A  beautifullandscape — Jesus  spends 
a  night  in  prayer — The  variances  of  Luke  and  Matthew  reconciled — The  sunburst  of  a  new 
dispensation — The  Beatitudes — Jesus  explains  the  meaning  of  mercy — Condemnation  of 
the  Pharisees— Our  Lord's  prayer — A  triumphal  procession  into  Capernaum — Incessant  labor 
of  healing — The  centurion's  servant  restored  to  health — A  visit  to  Nain — Arresting  a  funeral 
cortege — A  widow's  only  son — "  Young  man,  I  say  unto  thee,  arise" — The  fetters  of  death 
broken — Joy  of  a  mother 272-282 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Poor  Magdalene's  Tears  Illumined. — Incompleteness  of  the  records  of  Christ's  deeds — 
Blessings  of  the  printing  press — A  banquet  in  honor  of  Jesus — Jewish  customs — The  reception 
of  guests — Bathing  of  tired  feet — An  uninvited  guest — The  intrusion  of  a  fallen  woman  — 
She  pays  homage  to  Jesus — Simon,  the  host,  is  horrified — Jesus  rebukes  him  by  a  striking 
illustration — The  woman  forgiven — Another  circuit  of  Galilee — The  five  mothers  of  the 
Church — They  join  their  fortunes  to  that  of  Jesus — Denunciation  of  ostentation  and  formalism 
— His  mother  seeks  him — Reply  of  Jesus — He  is  charged  with  practicing  the  black  art — 
Claims  of  the  rabbis  to  possession  of  occult  powers — Glorious  dawn  of  the  parables — Parable 
of  the  sower — A  ruined  crop — Similitudes  of  heaven — The  parables  explained 283—294 

CHAPTER  XVIil. 

The  Storm  of  Rancor  Approaches. — Signs  of  fatal  conflict — Avoiding  the  Pharisees — 
Another  visit  to  Jerusalem — At  the  mineral  baths — The  water  supply  of  Jerusalem — The  pool 
of  Bethesda — Remittent  Springs — A  rheumatic  of  thirty-eight  years — "  Rise,  take  up  thy  bed, 
and  walk  " — A  precious  crowd  of  hypocrites — Jesus  charged  with  violating  the  Sabbath — 
Jesus  arrested — He  defends  His  works — Afoot  to  Capernaum — Detectives  on  His  track — 
The  disciples  pluck  ears  of  corn  on  the  Sabbath — Jesus  declares  that  the  Sabbath  was  made 
for  man — Popularity  with  the  masses — The  synagogues  still  open  to  Him — Paralysis  pulsates 
into  health 295-303 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Folding  up  a  Cyclone  on  Gennesaret. — Beautiful  and  magnificent  surrounding  of  the 
lake — A  lovely  night  for  a  boat  ride — Jesus,  exhausted  from  incessant  labor,  falls  asleep  in 
the  boat — A  sudden  storm — The  waves  threaten  engulfment — "  Master,  carest  Thou  not  that 
we  perish  ?  " — Jesus  calms  the  tempest — On  the  shore  of  Gadara — Met  by  two  demoniacs — 
Dethroned  reason  crowned  again — A  legion  of  devils  sent  into  a  herd  of  swine — Jesus  returns  to 
Capernaum — A  wail  of  grief — Death  in  the  house  of  a  chief  ruler — Jairus  implores  Jesus  to 
save  his  daughter — "She  is  not  dead,  but  sleepeth" — The  white  lily  of  death  blushes  into 
red  rose  of  life — The  woman  with  a  bloody  issue — Her  long  sufferings — Secretly  touching  the 
hem  of  Christ's  garments — She  is  miraculously  healed — Pursued  by  two  blind  men — "  Thou 
Son  of  David,  have  mercy  " — Paralyzed  optic  nerve  awakened — An  object  of  pity — Restora- 
tion of  tiie  dunM)  demoniac — Another  visit  to  Nazareth — His  second  rejectment — A  third 
circuit  of  Galilee — The  twelve  disciples  sent  forth  by  twos — Tiie  instruction  which  Christ  gave 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 


them — A  rocking  throne — Herod's  fears  that  John  is  risen — Jesus  departs  into  the  tetrarchy 
of  PhiHp — Followed  by  enormous  crowds — On  a  mountain  in  prayer — The  people  remain  by 
Jesus  till  they  are  hungered — A  miraculous  biscuit — Feeding  ten  thousand  with  a  handful  of 
food — Pavements  of  crystal — The  return  voyage  of  the  disciples — Jesus  left  in  the  solitude  of 
the  mountain — A  hurricane  on  the  lake — Jesus  comes  to  the  rescue  walking  on  the  water- 
Hailed  by  Peter — "  Lord,  save  me  !  " — Superiority  of  Christ  to  all  the  kings  of  earth  .    .    .    304-322 

CHAPTER  XX. 

A  Mighty  Sermon  at  Capernaum. — The  people  ask  Jesus  for  a  sign  of  His  Messiahship — 
He  discourses  to  them  and  tells  them  of  signs  already  given — The  Pharisees  continue  to 
disparage  Him — The  bread  of  life — Astounding  faithlessness —  Captiousness  of  the  Pharisees — 
The  disciples  express  doubts — Some  of  them  abandon  Him — Faithful  Peter — Outer  cleanliness 
but  inner  defilement — Severe  rebukement  of  the  Pharisees — The  disciples  alarmed — Seeking 
rest  among  heathens — Faith  of  the  SyrophcEnician  woman — Joy  of  a  mother  whose  daughter 
is  healed — Jesus  conquered  by  a  human  soul — His  surrender  to  a  woman's  pleadings  .    .    .    323-331 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

Dementia  and  Hunger  in  Decapolis. — The  improvidences  of  a  large  crowd — Jesus  goes 
into  Decapolis — The  province  of  Decapolis  and  its  allied  cities — Healing  the  blind  and 
feeding  the  multitude — A  deaf  man  cured  and  his  bridled  tongue  loosed — The  multitude 
wonder  at  the  miracles — Another  sign  demanded  of  Him — At  Magdala,  the  house  of  Mary 
— Leaven  of  the  Pharisees — Again  at  Belhsaida — Another  blind  man's  eyes  opened — A  visit 
to  Q^sarea  Philippi — Its  beauteous  situation — Foundingof  the  city — A  sacred  cave — Worship 
of  the  shepherd  god  Pan — A  temple  in  deification  of  Cnesar — Peter  acknowledges  Jesus  as 
the  Messiah — Peter's  belligerency  rebuked — A  false  conception  of  Christ's  mission  ....    332-342 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Irradiated  Mountain  of  Transfiguration. — Jesus  takes  three  of  His  disciples  into  a  high 
mountain — Why  Jesus  showed  special  favor  to  three — Oh  !  wondrous  vision ! — The  transfigura- 
tion of  Christ — The  glory  of  heaven  round  about — The  everlasting  testimony  of  a  Trinity  of 
which  God  was  the  head — The  sublimation  of  Messianic  splendor — Bewilderment  at  the 
beatification — Jesus  dispels  all  fear — A  discourse  on  the  forerunner — Discomfiture  of  the 
other  nine  disciples — They  fail  to  cure  an  epileptic — The  people  laugh  at  them — "  Lord, 
help  Thou  mine  unbelief" — The  epileptic  son  cured — The  astonished  disciples — A  tax 
demanded  of  Christ — He  pays  it  with  money  taken  from  a  fish's  mouth — History  of  the  tax — 
Ambition  of  the  disciples — The  hmit  of  forgiveness — Illustration  of  the  unjust  creditor  .    .    343-3S4 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Jesus  at  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles. — Persecuted  and  outlawed  by  the  Pharisees — His 
finends  urge  Him  to  attend  the  feast — Expectation  that  He  would  overwhelm  His  enemies — 
On  the  way  to  Jerusalem — He  is  refused  entertainment  in  Samaria — Ordainment  of  seventy 
disciples  to  go  forth  in  pairs  and  preach — Another  exhibition  of  divine  mercy — Ten  lepers 
drop  their  scales — Only  one  of  them  grateful,  and  he  a  Samaritan — Jesus  appears  on  the 
Temple  porch — The  people  flock  to  hear  Him — His  fearless  denunciation  of  hypocrisy — He 
declares  Himself  an  emissary  from  God — The  Jews  take  violent  offence^esus  foretells  His 
death — Many  persons  believe  in  Him — The  chief  priests  order  His  arrest — The  order 
disobeyed,  and  why — Nicodemus  half-heartedly  defends  Jesus  before  the  Sanhedrim — The 
woman  taken  in  crime — The  Pharisees  ask  Jesus  to  pass  judgment  on  her — Rebuked  in 
fitting  words — Christ  writes  on  the  Temple  floor — A  clean  sweep  of  pardon — Give  women  a 
chance — Society  needs  reconstructing — A  lost  daughter  comes  home  at  last 355~36S 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


PAGE. 


A  Dfspute  over  Prc-nata!  Sins. — The  escape  of  Jesus — Beggars  by  the  gates  of  Jericho 
— The  transmission  of  disease — Behefs  borrowed  from  the  East — The  windows  of  sight 
opened — The  Sanhedrim  as  inquisitors — In  discussion  with  the  man  born  bHnd — The 
confounded  and  enraged  priests  cast  him  out — Parable  of  the  good  shepherd — Application  of 
the  parable — Ministry  of  Jesus  in  Perea — Questions  in  dispute — A  hypocritical  question — 
"  What  shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life  ?  " — Parable  of  the  good  Samaritan 366-379 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

In  the  House  of  Mary  and  Martha. — The  welcome  to  Christ — Trouble  in  the  kitchen — 
Mary  chooses  the  better  pait — Return  of  the  Seventy — Efficacy  of  prayer — Jesus  shows 
Hmiself  in  the  Temple — Jesus  vanishes  out  of  the  hands  of  His  enemies — "  Lazarus, 
whom  Thou  lovest,  is  sick  " — The  house  of  Lazarus — A  message  for  the  omnipotent  Doctor — 
Why  Jesus  did  nut  immediately  respond — Fear  of  the  disciples — Death  of  Lazarus — Descent 
into  the  tomb — "  Lazarus,  come  forth  !  " — Jesus  condemned  to  death  by  the  Sanhedrim — He 
becomes  a  fugitive — Oh,  wondrous  healer ! — "  Woman,  thou  art  loosed  from  thine  infirmities" 
— Shaming  His  Adversaries 380-39I 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Parable  of  the  Great  Supper. — Date  of  the  Passover  festival — The  Pharisees'  attempt  to 
frighten  Jesus — The  dropsical  patient — The  invited  guests  who  would  not  come — Application 
of  the  parable  of  the  feast — Christ's  invitation  to  supper — Exposing  the  prejudices  of  the 
priests — Parable  of  the  lost  sheep — Story  of  the  Prodigal  Son — Only  a  swineherd — Return  of 
the  Prodigal — The  great  feast  of  rejoicing — The  jealous  brother — Parable  of  Lazarus  and 
Dives — The  rich  man  in  hell 392-408 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Separation  of  the  Chaff  from  the  Wheat. — Offences  must  needs  come — How  to  prepare 
against  them — Lack  of  faith  in  the  disciples — Where  is  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  ? — Parable  of 
the  unjust  Judge — Its  application — Prayers  of  the  publican  and  Pharisee — "  God,  be  merciful 
to  me,  a  sinner  " — The  holy  bonds  of  marriage — The  law  of  divorcement — Jesus  emancipates 
woman — "  Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  me  " — The  rich  young  man — Sacrifice  demanded 
— Who  can  be  saved?  —  Parable  of  the  laborers  in  the  vineyard 409-421 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

On  the  Way  to  Death. — Jesus  leaves  Perea  and  journeys  toward  Jerusalem — His  prophecy 
of  the  Crucifixion — Salome  intercedes  for  her  sons — Desire  for  preferment — Jesus  again 
foreshadows  His  sufferings — Healing  of  blind  Hartimeus — "Jesus,  Thou  Son  of  David  !  " — 
Christ  is  entertained  by  Zaccheus — Parable  of  the  nobleman  and  the  ten  talents — Its  applica- 
tion— Similitudes  of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven — The  unfruitful  fig  tree  .........    422-429 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Jesus  at  the  Village  Home. — Departure  from  Jericho — On  the  way  to  Jerusalem — The  stop 
at  Bethany — La/.arus  a  fugitive — Curiosity  of  the  people  to  see  him — Joy  in  the  house  of  Mary 
and  Martha — Will  Jesus  dare  to  enter  Jerusalem? — A  triumphal  entrance  on  an  ass — A  lane 
of  hosannas — Hosanna!  Hosanna! — Jesus  enters  the  Temple — A  fig  tree  withers  under  His 
curse — Rome  arrayed  against  Jesus — Drives  out  the  mercenaries — Base  uses  to  which  the 
Temple  had  been  put — Significance  of  the  purification — The  Pharisees  alarmed — The  open 
conflict — Jesus  confounds  His  critics — The  promise  broken  and  the  promise  kept— Parable  of 
the  two  sons — Parable  of  the  wicked  husbandmen — Parableof  the  great  wedding  feast  .    .    .    430-444 


CONTENTS. 
CHAPTER  XXX. 

PAGE. 
Discussion  with  the  Sadducees. — The  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  join  forces — They  seek 
to  compromise  Jesus  with  the  Roman  government — Tribute  to  Csesar — A  question  of  marriage 
— How  Jesus  answered  His  critic's  inquiries — Another  attempt  to  puzzle  Christ — Which  is 
the  first  commandment  ?— How  is  Chris  the  Son  of  David  ? — The  Pharisees  put  into  perplex- 
ity  A  scathing  anathema — Bitter  arraignment  of  the  Rabbis — "  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and 

Pharisees" — Murder  of  the  apostles 445-45^ 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

The   Poor  Woman's  Mite.— Jesus  in  the  Court  of  the  Women — Ostentatious  offerings  of  rich 
Jews — Humility  and  generosity  of  poverty — Certain  of  the  Greeks  desire  audience  with  Him 

A  grain  of  corn  in  the  ground— Illustration  of  the  resurrection — Jesus  in  a  cloud — A  voice 

from  heaven — A  prefigurement  of  his  sufferings — Prophecies  uttered  on  Mount  Olivet — Sitting 
on  the  mount  with  His  disciples — Destruction  of  the  Temple  foretold — When  the  end  of  the 
world  shall  come — Judgment  to  be  sent  on  Jerusalem — Signs  of  the  Lord's  coming — Prepare 
for  the  Lord's  reappearing — Parables  illustrating  the  suddenness  of  His  second  advent — 
Parable  of  the  ten  virgins — Ceremonies  at  Jewish  weddings — Repetition  of  the  parable  of  the 
talents — Separation  of  the  sheep  from  the  goats 453-464 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

The  Anointing  at  Bethany. — The  road  between  Jerusalem  and  Bethany — The  Son  of  man  to 

be  betrayed — Assemblying  of  the  chief  priests  to  take  action — Jesus  at  the  feast  of  Simon — 
Who  was  Simon? — A  precious  box  of  nard— Significance  of  anointing — Mary's  soulful  mark 
of  reverence — Destruction  of  the  world — The  scheme  of  betrayal— What  prompted  Judas  to 
betray  his  master? — An  insolvable  problem — Both  sides  presented 465-471 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

Feast  of  the  Passover. — When  and  how  the  passover  was  celebrated — Our  Lord's  last  supper 

A  sad  occasion — Jesus  washes  His  disciples'  feet — What  the  act  signified — Peter's  rebellion 

Reproved  by  Jesus — The  betrayer  at  the  feast — A  disturbing  suspicion — Jesus  indicates  who 

shall  betray  Him — Judas  deserts  his  brethren — The  last  discourse — Doubts,  fears  and  anxie- 
ties— On  the  way  to  Gethsemane — ^Jesus  promises  to  reappear  after  His  death — ^Jesus  prays 
for  His  disciples 472-482 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

The  Groan  in  the  Garden. — A  crisis  grim,  ghastly  and  overpowering — Song  of  the  Passover 

Jesus  retires  alone  to  pray — An  hour  of  agony — Compassion  of  angels — The  three  sleeping 

disciples What  was  the  cup  of  bitterness?— How  did  God  the  Father  suffer  with  Christ  the 

Son? Story  of  the  captam's  only  child — The  arrest  of  Jesus — "Whom  seek  ye?" — The 

soldiers  stricken — Peter  cuts  off  the  ear  of  Malchus — A  tradition  of  Mark — Jesus  led  away  to 

the  high-priests— He  is  followed  by  Peter  and  John— Jesus  struck  by  a  guard— Peter's  denial.  483-494 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

The  Sham  Trial. — Laws  governing  the   Sanhedrim — How  the  Judges  .condemned  Jesus — 
Justice  outraged — Caiaphas  pronounces  Jesus  guilty — The  two  charges  against  Jesus — Jesus 

before  Pilate Scourging  of  Jesus — Remorse  and  suicide  of  Judas — Jesus  taken  before  Herod 

Herod   and   Pilate   both  try  to  escape  responsibility — Jesus  mocked  and  taken  again  to 

Pilate Ridiculed  and  beaten  by  Roman  soldiers — Pilate  tries  to  secure  the  release  of  Jesus — 

The  mob  threaten  him— Cry  of  the  rabble—"  Crucify  Him!  Crucify  Him!  "—Pilate  washes 

his   hands  and  calls  witnesses 495-5o6 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

The  Assassination.  —  The  place  of  a  skull — Punishment  of  criminals  by  crucifixion — How 
crosses  were  made — Christ  on  the  way  tc  Calvary — Fainting  under  tlie  cross — Sympathy  ot 
the  women — O  Daughters  of  Jerusalem! — ^Jesus  scourged — The  soldiers  gamble  foi  His 
garment — Twelve  o'clock — Jesus  on  the  cross — Darkness  about  the  cross — A  dreadful 
phenomenon — Spectators  of  the  tragedy — The  two  thieves — Mary,  His  mother — Sorrowmg 
friends — The  death — The  earthquake — The  entombment — The  sacrifice  completed  .... 


PAGE. 


507-519 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

The  Resurrection. — The  sepulchre  sealed  and  guarded — Description  of  the  sepulchre — Tomb 
of  the  ages — Process  of  embalmment — How  Jesus  was  taken  into  the  tomb — Shattered  masonry 
of  the  tomlj — Victory  over  death — "  The  Lord  is  risen  " — Christ  appears  to  Mary — Excite- 
ment in  Jerusalem — Peter  and  John  at  the  sepulchre — The  guard  of  angels — Depression  of 
the  disciples — Mary  Magdalene's  mistake — The  disciples  doubt — Christ  on  the  road  to 
Emmaus — Jesus  appears  to  the  eleven — He  eats  before  His  disciples — The  doubts  of  Thomas 
removed — Jesus  in  Galilee — A  happy  breakfast — "  Lovest  thou  me?" — Christ  appears  to 
many  others 520-531 

CHAPTER  XXXVllI. 

The  Ascension. — Last  days  of  the  Lord's  pilgrimage — The  finished  record — Mount  Olivet — 
The  law  of  gravity  suspended — The  Morning  Star  of  Righteousness  becomes  the  Sun  of 
Redemption — The  parting — From  earth  of  persecution  into  skies  of  glory — Benediction  on 
all  the  world — Hallelujah,  Amen 532-535 

CONCLUSION. 

Why  this  Martyrdom  ?  Substitution  I — The  fountain  filled  with  blood — Common  sense  in 
religion — Examples  of  voluntary  sufferings — The  mother's  sacrifice— Martyrdom  of  the 
domestic  circle — Sacrificed  on  their  country's  altar — Grappling  with  the  plague — Seward's 
defence  of  a  poor  negro — Clirist  the  archetype — Sacrifice  of  Christ — Blood  in  the  sacramental 
cup — The  Waterloo  of  redemption — The  battlefield  where  Napoleon's  star  set  forever — 
The  great  victory — Doxology  to  Christ 536-544 


If — -^^^  ■ 

PAGE 

Adoration  of  the  Shepherds, 171 

Annunciation,  The, I47 

Armor  of  Roman   Officers   in   the   time  of 

Herod, 125 

Askelon,  near  Jerusalem, 219 

Andrew  and  Simon,  The  Calling  of,      ...  243 

Athens,  The  Acropolis  at, 35 

Athens,  Mars  Hill, 35 

Athens,  The  Parthenon  at, 35 

Bedouins  of  Palestine, .  119 

"  Behold  the  Man," 499 

Bethany, 199 

Bethany  as  It  now  Appears, 226 

Bethlehem,  Slaughter  of  Innocents,  .    ...  175 

Betrothed  Jewish  Girl  of  Palestine,  A,  .    .    .  1 36 

Beyrout, 91 

Bier  and  Coffin,  Eastern, 80 

Birth  of  the  Saviour,  The, 159 

Csesarea,  Ruins  of  Ancient, 98 

Csesarea  Philippi,  Ruins  of  Ancient  Fortifica- 
tions,        200 

Cairo,  Street  in, 42 

Cake  Venders  at  Cairo,  Egypt, 39 

Calvary,  On  the  Road  to, 509 

Calvary,  The  Sheik  now  in  Charge,  .    .    .    .  518 

Capernaum,  Ruins  of, 217 

Carmel,  Mt.,  Ancient  Castle  on  the  Spur  of, .  373 

Carpenter  Shop  in  Nazareth, 189 

Caves  in  the  Cliffs  of  Arbela, 273 

Christ  Blessing  Little  Children, 251 

Christ  and  the  Children, 417 

Christ  Casting  out  a  Devil,  . 313 

Christ  in  the  Midst  of  the  Doctors 191 

Christ,  Entombment  of, 517 

Christ  Driving  away  Money  Changers,  .    .    .  223 

Christ  the  Great  Physician, 325 

Christ  Preaching  on  the  Mount, 275 

Christ  and  the  Rich  Young  Man, 419 

Church  of  the  Nativity  at  Bethlehem,  ...  155 

Church  of  St,  John  of  the  Mountain,    .    .    .  142 


PAGE 

Citadel,  Jerusalem,  Entrance  to, 117 

Couch  and  Oriental  Table, 285 

Crucifixion,  The, 5^^ 

Damascus,  The  Citadel  of, 99 

Damascus,  Houses  built  upon  the  Walls  of, .  94 

Damascus,  Summer  Huts  in  the  Suburbs  of,  109 

Damascus,  General  View  of, 89 

David,  Tomb  of, 6l 

David,  Tower  or  House  of, 59 

David's  Well  near  Bethlehem, 69 

Dead  Sea,  Dr.  Talmage  on  the  Banks  of  the,  62 

Debtor,  The  Unjust,  Illustrated, 353 

Druse  Peasants  of  Mt.  Carmel  at  their  Repast,  319 

Ecce  Homo  Arch, .    .  497 

Emmaus,  On  the  Road  to, 527 

Field  near  Bethlehem,  where  David  Tended 

Sheep, 70 

Galilee,  Rural  Scenery  of, 85 

Galilee,  Sea  of, 81 

Galileans,  Group  of  Modern, 83 

Gate  of  St.  Stephen,  Jerusalem,  Interior  of  the,  443 
Gethsemane,  The  Agony  in  the  Garden  of,  .  487 
Gethsemane,  The  Garden  of.  Present  Appear- 
ance of,  481 

Gethsemane,   Ancient   Olive   Trees  in    the 

Garden  of, 485 

Golden  Gate,  The, 431 

Golden  Lamp  used  in  the  Temple,    ....  14I 

Golgotha, 54 

Group  of  Oriental  Maidens, X20 

Hasbany,  The  River, 1 18 

Healing  of  Lame  Man, 257 

Hebron, 145 

Herod's  Palace  in  Samaria,  Ruins  of,  ...  129 

Hezekiah,  The  Pool  of, 291 

Hill  of  Evil  Council, 469 

Hinnom,  Valley  of, 67 

Hired  Laborers'  Complaint,  The, 421 

Husks  used  for  Feeding  Swme  in  Palestine,  401 

"  I  find  no  Sin  in  this  Man," 5^5 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

Incense  Burner,  used  in  the  Temple,     ...  141 

Ismailia,  The  Port  of,  on  the  Suez  Canal,  .    .  41 

Jacob's  Well 7' 

Jaffa  Gate,  Jerusalem, 66 

Jehoshaphat,  Valley  of, 57 

Jeremiah's  Grotto 54 

Jericho  of  to- day, 64 

Jerusalem,  The  Citadel  of, 115 

Jerusalem,  Upper  Stories  and  Housetops  of,  357 

Jerusalem  Road  from  Jericho, 87 

Jerusalem,  Scenery  in  the  Mountains  near,  .  Ill 

Jerusalem,  View  of, 68 

Jerusalem,  Perforated  Parapets  in  Walls,  .    .  371 

Jesus  Answers  the  Woman's  Accusers,  .    .    ,  361 

Jesus  Appears  to  Mary  in  the  Garden,  .    .    .  525 

Jesus  Blessing  the  Restored  W^oman,     .    .    .  311 

Jesus  Giving  the  Cup  to  His  Disciples,  .    .    .  479 

Jesus  Healing  the  Impotent  Man, 299 

Jesus  Laid  in  the  Tomb, 515 

Jesus  in  the  Wilderness  Tempted  by  Satan,  .  209 

Jesus  Leading  the  Blind  Man  out  of  the  Town,  337 

Jesus  Protects  the  Erring  Woman, 363 

Jesus  Rebuking  Simon, 2S7 

Jesus  Shows  Himself  to  His  Disciples,  .    .    .  529 

Jesus'  Triumphal  Entry  into  Jerusalem,  .    .  435 

Jewish  Priest  and  the  Pentateuch, 241 

John  the  Baptist, I97 

Jewish  Maiden,  A  Typical, 493 

John  the  Baptist's  Birthplace, 142 

John,  Salome  Receiving  the  head  of,     ...  205 

Joppa,  or  Jaffa, 49 

Jordan  River,  At  a  Ford  or  Crossing  of  the,  195 
Jordan,  .Sources  of  the.  Beneath  the  Cave  of 

Pan 341 

Joseph  the  Patriarch,  Tomb  of, 399 

Joseph,  Mary  and  the  Child  Jesus  on  the  way 

to  Egypt, 173 

Judas  Discovered, 477 

Killing  the  Fatted  Calf, 403 

Kiss  of  Betrayal,  The 491 

Klopsch,  Mrs.  Louis, 36 

Klopsch,  Mr.  Louis, 36 

Lamp,  Bronze,  used  by  Eastern  Nations,  .    .  461 

Last  Supper,  The, 473 

Lazarus,  The  Tomb  of, 387 

Lazarus  at  the  Door  of  Dives 407 

Lebanon  Mountains, 104 

Leontes,  Natural  Bridge  across  the,  ....  333 

Levite,  or  Jewish  Priest, 139 


PAGE 

Lydda,  as  it  now  Appears 269 

Madonna,  The, 161 

Magi,  The  Eastern,  doing  Homage  to  Jesus,  169 

Martha,  Bustling,  and  Waiting  Mary,    ...  381 

Mary  and  the  Infant  Jesus, 183 

Merchants  on  Ancient  Temple  Road,    .    .    .  221 

Merom,  Ruins  of  Ancient, 105 

Miraculous  Draught  of  Fishes, 255 

Mosque  of  Omar, 135 

Mount  Hermon 263 

Mount  of  Olives,  View  of, 113 

"My  Peace  I  give  unto  you," 541 

Nablous,  or  Ancient  Shechem, 133 

Nain,  Ruins  of  the  Village  of, 279 

Nain,  The  Widow's  Son,  Restored  to  Life,  .  281 

Nativity,  Church  of  the,  at  Bethlehem,  .    .    .  155 

Nativity,  The  Grotto  under  the  Church  of  the,  163 

Nazareth, 185 

Nazareth,  The  Fountain  at, 77 

Nazareth  to  Jerusalem,  Scenery  on  the  Road 

from, 79 

Olivet,  Jesus  and  His  Disciples  Crossing,  .    .  297 

Olivet,  The  Parting  on  Mount, 533 

Oriental  Market  Scene, 457 

Palestine,  Northern  Map  of, 379 

Palestine,  Map  of  Middle, 259 

Palestine,  Map  of  Southern, 215 

Palestine,  Scribes  of  Ancient, 345 

Pan,  Cave  Dedicated  to  the  Worship  of,   .    .  339 

Paul  Preaching  at  Ephesus, 37 

Pharaoh,  Mummy  of, 46 

Pilate's  House  in  Jerusalem  as  it  now  appears,  496 

Pilgrimage  to  Bethlehem,  Easter, 45 1 

Pool  of  Siloam, 167 

Prayer,  Oriental  Modes  of, 277 

Priest  and  Levite  passed  by.  The, 375 

Prodigal's  Departure,  The, 397 

Prodigal's  Return,  The, 403 

Publican  and  the  Pharisee,  The, 413 

Pyramid,  Climbing  The 44 

Quarantana,  or  Mountain  of  Temptation,  .    .  211 

Ramleh,  Ancient,  as  it  appears  to-day,  ...  75 

Raising  of  the  Daughter  of  Jairus 307 

Return  from  Egypt,  The, 1 77 

Rich  Man,  Traditional  House  of  the,    .    .    .  405 

Roadside  Fountain  and  Tomb 51 

Roman  Eagle  and  Statue  of  Titus 123 

Roman  Infantry  Soldiers, 127 

Roman  Soldiers  Besieging  a  Walled  City,   .  122 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

Ruins  of  Ancient  Inn  at  Bethlehem,  .    ...  157 
St.  Stephen,  Jerusalem,  Interior  of  the  Gate 

of, 443 

Samaria, 107 

Samaria,  Modern  Women  of, 73 

Samaiitan,  The  Good,              377 

Samaritans,  Group  of  Modern, 229 

Saviour's  Birth,  The  Silver  Star  Marking  the 

Place  of  the, 165 

Saviour's  Tomb,  Mary  at  the, 523 

Scourge,  Flagelier  or,  such  as  was  Used  in 

Punishing  Jesus, 501 

Scourging,  The 500 

Shepherd,  Typical  Eastern, 317 

Shewbread,  Table  of, 301 

Sidon,  The  City  of  Modern, 103 

Sidon,  Present  Appearance  of  Ancient  Forti- 
fications at, 329 

Simon,  The  Tanner's  House,  Joppa,      ...  53 

Slaughter  of  the  Innocents, 175 

Soldiers,  Mocking  Jesus,  The 503 

Sphinx,  The, 43 

Spikenard, 467 

Street  in  Jerusalem 425 

Talmage,  Dr.,  on  Camel, 2 


PAGE 

Talmage,  T.  DeWitt, Frontispiece 

Talmage,  Mrs.  T.  DeWitt 34 

Talmage,  Miss  May, 34 

Talmage,  Dr.,  Baptizing  a  Candidate  in  the 

Jordan, 63 

Temple  Court  at  Jerusalem,  The, 203 

Tiberias, 239 

Tiberias,  View  of  a  Portion  of  Lake,    .    .    .  217 

Tomb  of  Absalom 57 

Tomb  of  King  Hiram,  near  Tyre, 335 

Tomb  of  the  Saviour,  The  Supposed,    .        -513 

Tombs  Carved  in  the  Rocks, 305 

Traveling  by  Camels  in  Egypt, 47 

Tyre,  The  City  of,  as  it  now  Appears,  .    .    .  loi 

Virgin,  The  Tomb  of  the,  near  Jerusalem,    .  249 

Virgins,  The  Foolish, 463 

Visit  to  Elizabeth,  The, 1 50 

Wall  of  Jerusalem,  Portions  of  the  Ancient,  56 

Wall  of  Jerusalem,  Portion  of  the  South,  .    .  113 

Well  of  Samaria, 231 

"  Why  Sleep  Ye  ?  " 489 

Widow's  Mite,  The, 455 

Wine  and  Olive  Press, 441 

Y.  M.  C.  A.  Headquarters,    near  the   Jaffa 

Read 544 


My  Journey 


TO, 
THROUGH 
and  FROM 


The  Christ-Land 


OTHERS  might  write  a  L,ife  of  Christ  without  seeing  the  Holy  Land, 
but  I  could  not.  So  in  October,  1889,  I  embarked  for  that  sacred 
country,  accompanied  by  my  wife,  daughter  and  my  friends  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  IvOuis  Klopsch,  determined  to  see  with  my  own  eyes,  and  press 
with  my  own  feet  man}^  of  the  memorable  places  connected  with  the  life  of  the 
patriarchs  and  the  ministrations  of  our  Lord. 

We  were  told  that  as  we  proposed  crossing  the  Atlantic  at  that  season  we 
should  have  a  very  rough  passage  and  that  as  we  were  to  cross  the  Mediterranean 
in  winter  we  should  suffer  from  appalling  marine  treatment,  and  that  we  would 
freeze  in  the  Holy  Land.  Just  the  opposite  has  been  our  experience.  We  had 
crossed  the  Atlantic  eight  times  before,  but  this  was  the  smoothest  of  all  our 
voyages — sunshine  from  New  York  to  Liverpool,  sunshine  from  Liverpool  to 
Rome,  sunshine  from  Rome  to  Athens,  sunshine  from  Athens  to  Egypt. 

In  a  small  boat,  pitching  till  it  threatened  to  capsize  us,  we  come  ashore  at 
Patras,  Greece,  and  take  rail-train  for  Corinth  and  Athens,  the  skies  blue  as  the 
bluest,  and  the  sea  a  deep  green,  save  where  it  is  white-crested.  We  enter  now 
the  realm  of  the  classics.  What  an  opportunity,  if  at  the  close  of  college  course 
and  before  entering  a  profession  every  young  man  could  take  a  journey  to  see  the 
places  vividly  associated  with  the  birth,  the  life  and  the  writings  of  the  ancient 
poets,  essayists  and  orators.  May  some  philanthropist  with  large  means  see  the 
opportunity  and  embrace  it  for  hundreds  and  thousands  of  j-oung  students  ! 

But  now  we  rush  along  on  a  rail-train  in  regions  where  Paul  went  afoot. 
What  a  contrast  between  the  fatigues  and  slowness  of  ancient  travel  and  the 
comforts  and  velocities  of  the  modern  journey  ;  the  difference  between  weary 
limbs  and  ptarmigan's  pinion.  But  why  tarry  at  all  on  my  way  to  Palestine 
amid  these  Pauline  scenes  ?  I  want  gradually  to  come  upon  the  Christly  places. 
Beside  that,  Paul  was  only  a  .sublime  echo  of  Christ.  Nothing  but  the  divine 
occurrences  of  Palestine  could  make  the  Apostle's  life  possible.  There  would 
have  been  no  epistle  to  the  Corinthians  if  there  had  been  no  sermon  on  the 
3  (33) 


34 


FROM    MANGER   TO    THRONE. 


MRS.    TALMAGE. 

were  enacted  was  grand  enough  for 
What  a  solemn  place  it  is  to 
me  !  All  the  ancient  city  gone, 
but  the  Acro-Corinthus,  the  fort- 
ress two  thousand  feet  high, 
still  standing.  It  not  only  looks 
down  upon  a  vast  realm  of 
scenery  but  looks  down  upon 
the  ages.  Paul's  eyes  were 
lifted  toward  that  proud  emi- 
nence as  he  came  from  the  mob- 
ocracy  of  Athens.  The  fortress 
is  a  great  heap  of  black  basalt. 
O  thou  doomed  and  dead  and 
buried  Corinth  !  Thy  splendor 
was  overpowered  by  thy  disso- 
luteness. Yet  all  is  quiet  now, 
and,  but  for  the  clouds  built 
like  another  Acro-Corinthus 
above  the  fortress,  it  is  a  rather 


Mount.  Mars'  Hill  was  blood 
relation  to  Calvary.  The  spear 
that  pierced  the  sacred  side  had 
answering  flash  in  the  behead- 
ing sword  on  the  road  to  Ostia. 
The  foot  that  bled  on  the  hill 
back  of  Jerusalem  was  followed 
by  the  bleeding  foot  of  the 
Pauline  pilgrimage  through  this 
Grecian  peninsula. 

The  scenery  through  which 
we  are  now  riding  is  for  grand- 
eur absolutely  appalling.  No 
sooner  does  the  Mediterranean 
subside  at  the  beach,  than  the 
knolls  become  hills,  and  the 
hills  mountains,  and  the  moun- 
'  tains  a  volcanic  bombardment 
-  —  q£    ^|-^g    heavens.       Surely    the 

stage    on    which    martyrdoms 
the  mighty  tragedies  !     We  come  to  Corinth, 


MISS  MAY  TAI.MAGE. 


36 


FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


X 


MR.    LOUIS   KLOPSCH. 

of  Salamis  occurred,  saw  the  Pentelicon 
nearly  to  the  battle-field  of  Mara- 
thon, saw  the  Parthenon,  saw 
the  two  miles  of  circle  which 
swept  around  a  greater  congre- 
gation of  temples  and  architec- 
tural wonders  and  sculptured 
exquisiteness  than  were  ever 
crowded  into  the  same  space. 
Saw  twenty  centuries  of  col- 
umns, columns  standing,  col- 
umns fallen,  columns  beginning 
to  fall,  the  ages  piled  up  in 
Pentelicon  marble,  everything 
old,  terrifically  old,  overwhelm- 
ingly old.  It  looks  like  a 
wrecked  eternity.  Have  read 
about  the  Acropolis  all  my  life 
and  have  seen  pictures  of  it,  but 
find  it  a  surprise  unspeakable. 


mines, 


peaceful  scene,  birds  flying, 
sheep  pasturing,  peasant  women 
sewing.  It  was  the  same  land- 
scape on  which  Paul  looked  on 
his  gradual  progress  to  martyr- 
dom for  Christ's  sake. 

One  o'clock  a.  m.,  at  Athens. 
— Cannot  sleep  ;  and  I  might  as 
well  be  writing.  Who  could 
sleep  amid  such  circumstances  ? 
Yesterday  I  saw  the  Acropolis, 
and  preached  on  Mars'  Hill, 
and  after  dark  went  out  and 
wandered  among  the  fifteen  im- 
mense pillars  which  are  the  sur- 
vivors of  the  one  hundred  and 
twenty  that  surrounded  the  tem- 
ple of  Jupiter  Olympus.  From 
the  Acropolis  I  saw  the  same 
scene  where  the  great  sea-fight 
the  birthplace  of  temples  ;  saw 


MRS.    l,OUIS    KI^OPSCH. 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


37 


Doxologies  in  stone.       The  eloquence  and  poetry  and  art  of  two  millenniums 
frozen  into  marble.     All  honor  to  the  memory  of  Ikitnos  and  Kallikrates,  the 


PAiTL  PRKACHiNG  AT  EPHESUS. — From  the  Painting  by  E.  Lesueur. 
architects  who  planned    it,   and    Phidias  who   chiseled    it,    and    Pericles,    under 
whose  patronage  it  was  lifted. 


38  FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

But  this  secular  classic  of  the  Acropolis  did  not  move  me  like  the  Gospel 
classic  of  Mars'  Hill.  What  a  bold  man  was  Paul  to  stand  there  on  those  tumbled 
rocks  and  say  what  he  did  !  I  suppose  he  could  be  heard  across  to  the  Acropolis, 
which  was  covered  with  temples  to  heathen  gods  and  goddesses.  An  Englishman 
standing  there  said  he  heard  distinctly  what  I  said  while  I  was  preaching  on 
Mars'  Hill. 

As  Paul's  voice  rang  out  over  the  valley,  between  Mars'  Hill  and  the  Acro- 
polis, he  swung  his  hand  toward  that  pile  of  heathen  divinities  and  announced 
his  belief  in  only  one  divinity,  saying  :  ' '  God  that  made  the  world  and  all  things 
therein,  seeing  He  is  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  dwelleth  not  in  temples  made 
with  hands."  And  then  looking  up  at  the  glitteriiig  idols  on  the  higher  hill  he 
continues  :  ' '  We  ought  not  to  think  that  the  Godhead  is  like  unto  gold  or  silver 
or  stone,  graven  by  art  and  man's  device  ;  and  the  times  of  this  ignorance  God 
winked  at,  but  now  commandeth  alF  men  everywhere  to  repent."  No  wonder 
that  meeting  broke  up  in  a  riot,  and  that  Paul  had  to  ciear  out  and  go  to  Corinth, 
€rom  which  we  came  day  before  yesterday.  It  was  not  yesterday  afternoon  so 
jiuch  that  the  wind  fluttered  the  leaves  of  my  Bible  as  I  was  speaking  about  that 
address  of  Paul  on  Mars'  Hill,  as  it  was  emotion  that  shook  the  book  when  that 
Apostolic  scene  rose  before  my  imagination.  I  obtained  a  block  of  stone  from 
Mars'  Hill  to  be  sent  to  Brooklyn  for  the  pulpit  table  in  our  new  church,  now 
building.  But  has  this  Paul  nothing  to  do  with  the  blessed  One  whose  life  I  am 
trying  to  write  ?  Yes.  Paul  was  Jesus  Christ's  man.  Mars'  Hill  shall  be  to  us 
only  a  stepping-stone  to  Golgotha. 

We  were  presented  by  Mr.  Tricoupi,  Prime  Minister  of  Greece  and  the  chief 
statesman  of  that  kingdom,  to  the  Queen  of  Greece,  who  gave  us  a  most  cordial 
grasp  of  the  hand  and  welcomed  us  to  Greece.  The  Queen  is  a  ver>^  beautiful 
and  gracious  woman,  and  we  talked  together  as  though  we  were  old  friends.  We 
met  also  the  ex-Empress  of  Germany,  Fredericka.  I  was  never  so  favorably 
impressed  with  any  distinguished  woman  as  with  her.  She  had  on  not  a  single 
jewel,  was  in  plain  black,  dignified,  but  not  coldly  so,  with  a  countenance  that 
indicated  good  sense  and  kindness,  but  it  was  a  somewhat  tearful  face.  This 
may  have  been  partly  due  to  the  fact  that  she  was  leaving  her  newly-married 
daughter  in  Athens.  But  I  think  the  sadness  o^  the  face  was  consequent  upon 
the  multitude  of  troubles  through  which  she  had  passed,  the  long  and  terrible 
sickness  and  death  of  Frederick,  and  many  other  griefs,  domestic  and  political. 

Across  the  Mediterranean. 

Now  v/e  are  on  the  Mediterranean  Sea.  This  morning  we  sailed  by  Crete, 
the  island  spoken  of  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  ;  where  Paul  ' '  desired  to  winter, ' ' 
and  near  which  they  met  the  euroclydon,  by  which  they  '  were  driven  up  and 


139) 


4o  FROM   MANGER   TO  THRONE. 

down  in  Adria,"  until  shipwrecked.      "Ye  should  not  have  loosed  from  Crete, 

and  have  gained  this  harm  and  loss."     The  engineer  of  our  boat  told  me  that 

cyclones  now  are  sometimes  met  in  the  same  quarter.     He  says  :   "The  winds 

have  a  terrible  sweep  along  that  coast  of  Crete."     We  are  having  a  smooth  sea, 

but  there  is  a  rocking  and  a  narrowness  of  limits  on  shipboard  which  makt_  me 

long  for  shore.     There  are  Mohammedans  on  board.    To-day  at  noon,  regardless 

of  spectators,  they  went  through  their  devotions,  first  washing  face  and  hands 

and  feet,  then  reciting  their  prayers,  kneeling  and  putting  their  foreheads  to  the 

rug  which  they  had  first  spread   beneath  them.      Their   behavior  is  a  r^ibuke 

to  Christians  who,   under  such  circumstances,  would  neglect  or  postpone  their 

devotions.     Whatever  else  the  Mohammedan   neglects,  he  does  not  neglect  his 

genuflexions. 

A  Trip  Through  Egypt. 

Now  we  enter  Africa.  Though  a  curse  was  of  old  pronounced  upon  those 
who  went  down  into  Egypt  for  help,  it  cannot  be  that  the  malediction  was  intended 
for  those  who  go  down  into  Egypt  for  help  in  writing  a  life  of  Christ.  So  I  went. 
Some  of  our  Lord's  most  important  years  were  spent  in  Africa.  What  a  morning 
was  the  25th  of  November,  18S9,  for  new  and  thrilling  experiences,  for  then  I  first 
saw  Egypt.  I  landed  at  Alexandria  amid  a  Babel  of  voices  ;  the  boatmen  clamor- 
ing for  our  luggage  ;  the  Pasha,  with  his  five  wives,  descending  the  ladder  on  the 
side  of  the  steamer  ;  custom-house  officers  on  the  alert  ;  friends  rushing  aboard  to 
greet  friends  ;  Europeans,  Asiatics  and  Africans  commingling.  After  a  few  hours' 
wandering  about,  and  looking  at  Pompey's  Pillar  which  has  stood  as  the  sentinel 
of  twenty-six  centuries,  and  through  the  gardens  of  the  Khedive,  and  through 
streets  filled  with  people  of  strange  visage  and  costume,  we  sleep  an  hour  to  regain 
equilibrium  before  taking  the  train  for  Cairo. 

Now  the  train  is  rolling  on  through  regions  watered  by  canals  and  ditches 
that  make  the  Nile  the  mightiest  of  aquatic  blessings,  through  a  country  that 
otherwise  would  not  yield  food  for  one  hungry  man  in  all  the  land.  We  find  here 
by  irrigation  the  luxuriance  of  an  American  farm  just  after  a  spring  shower. 
These  Egyptian  lands  without  a  drop  of  rain  direct  from  the  heavens,  have  been 
drinking  until  they  can  drink  no  more.  Thank  God  for  water,  canals  of  it,  rivers 
of  it,  lakes  of  it,  oceans  of  it,  all  the  cups  of  the  earth,  and  all  the  bottles  of  the 
sky  at  times  overflowing  !  We  meet  processions  of  men  and  beasts  on  the  way 
home  from  the  day's  work.  Camels,  dromedaries,  mules  and  cattle  discharged  of 
their  burdens.  But  alas  !  for  the  homes  to  which  the  poor  inhabitants  are  going. 
For  the  most  part,  hovels  of  mud.  But  there  is  something  in  the  scene  that 
thoroughly  enlists  us.  It  is  a  novelty  of  wretchedness,  -a  scene  of  picturesque 
rags.  For  thousands  of  years  this  land  has  been  under  a  very  damuation  of  taxes. 
Nothing  but  Christian  civilization  will  ever  roll  back  the  influences  which  are 


42 


FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


spoiling  the  Egyptians.' 


Tliere  are  gardens  and  palaces,  but  they  belong  to 

the  rulers.  This 
is  the  land  in  which 
Joseph  and  Mary 
and  Christ  were 
fugitives. 

Wondrous    Sights 
in  Egypt. 

On  the  Medit- 
erranean steamer 
coming  from 
Athens  to  Alex- 
andria, I  met  the 
eminent  scholar 
a  n  d  theologian,. 
Doctor  Lansing, 
who  for  thirty-five 
3'ears  has  been  a 
resident  of  Cairo, 
and  he  told  me 
that  he  had  been 
all  over  the  road 
that  the  three  fu- 
gitives took  from 
Bethlehem  to 
Egypt.  He  says 
it  is  a  desert  way 
and  that  the  forced 
journey  of  the  in- 
fant Christ  must 
have  been  a  terri- 
ble journey.  Go- 
i  n  g  up  from 
Egypt,  Doctor 
Lansing  met  peo- 
■ple  from  Bethle- 
hem, their  tongues 

siRHi-r  IN  c^iRo  rHKoiGH  WHICH  MAR\   A.Nn  JOSEPH  I'ASSED.  swollcu  aud  liaug- 

mg    out  from   the  inflammation   of  thirst,  and   although  his  party  had  but  one 
goat   skin    of   water   left,    and    that   was   important    for   themselves,    he  was   so 


FROM  MANGER  TO  THRONE. 


45 


moved  with  the  spectacle  of  thirst  in  these  poor  pilgrims  that,  though  it  excited 

the  indignation  of  his  fellow  travelers,  he  gave  v/ater  to  the  strangers.      Over  this 


THE  SPHINX. — From  a  Photograph  taken  by  I  i    T   'mage's  Party, 
dreadful  route  Joseph  and  Mary  started  for  this  land  of  Egypt.     No  time  to  make 


44 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


much  preparation.  Herod  was  after  them,  and  what  were  these  peasants  before 
an  irate  king  ?  Joseph,  the  husband  and  father,  one  night  sprang  up  from  his 
mattress  in  great  alarm,  the  beads  of  sweat  on  his  forehead,  and  his  whole  frame 

quaking.  He  had 
dreamed  of  massacres  of 
his  wife  and  babe.  They 
must  be  off  that  night, 
right  away.  Mary  put 
up  a  few  things  hastily, 
and  Joseph  brought  to 
the  door  the  beast  of 
burden,  and  helped  his 
wife  and  child  to  mount. 
Why,  those  loaves  of 
bread  are  not  enough, 
those  bottles  of  water 
will  not  last  for  such  a 
long  way.  But  there  is 
no  time  to  get  anything 
more.  Out  and  on. 
Good-bye  to  the  dear 
home  they  expect  never 
again  to  see.  Their 
hearts  break.  It  does 
not  need  that  ours  be  a 
big  house  in  order  to 
make  us  sorry  to  leave 
it.  Over  the  hills  and 
down  through  the  deep 
gorge  the)^  urge  their 
wa)-.  By  Hebron,  by 
Gaza,  through  hot  sand, 
under  a  blistering  sun, 
the  babe  crying,  the 
cijMBiNG  THE  PYRAMID.  mother  faint,  the  father 

exhausted.  How  slowly  the  days  and  weeks  pass.  Will  the  weary  three  ever 
reach  the  banks  of  the  Nile  ?  Will  they  ever  see .  Cairo  ?  Will  the  desert 
€ver  end  ?  When  at  last  they  cross  the  line  beyond  which  old  Herod  has 
no  right  to  pursue,  their  joy  is  unbounded.  Eree  at  last.  Let  them  dismount 
and  rest.     Now  they  resume  their  way  with  less  anxiety.      They  will  find  a  place 


FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE.  45 

somewhere  for  shelter  and  the  earning  of  their  bread.  Here  they  are  at  Cairo, 
Eg>'pt.  They  wind  through  the  crooked  streets  which  are  about  ten  feet  wide, 
and  enter  the  humble  house  where  I  have  been  to-day.  It  is  nine  steps 
down  from  the  level  of  the  street.  It  is  such  a  place  as  no  reader  of  this  book 
would  like  to  dwell  in.  I  measured  the  room  and  found  it  twenty  feet  long,  and 
seven  and  a  half  feet  high.  There  are  three  shelvings  of  rock,  one  of  which  I 
think  was  the  cradle  of  our  Lord.  There  is  no  window,  and  all  the  light  must 
have  come  from  lantern  or  candle.     What  a  place  for  the  King  of  heaven  to  live  in  I 

Monuments  of  the  Ages. 

During  the  two  or  more  years  when  this  family  of  three  made  it  their  home^ 
I  suppose  they  occasionally  walked  forth  and  found  many  things  looking  about 
as  I  saw  them  to-day.  As  now,  there  stood  the  Sphinx  with  a  cold  smile,, 
looking  down  upon  the  ages.  It  was  old  when  the  distinguished  three  arrived 
from  Bethlehem  in  Egypt.  It  took  three  thousand  years  to  make  one  wrinkle 
in  its  red  cheek.  It  was  then,  as  now,  dreadful  for  its  stolidity.  Its  eyes  have 
never  wept  a  tear.  Its  cold  ears  have  not  listened  to  the  groans  of  the 
Egyptian  nation,  the  sorrows  of  which  have  never  ceased.  Its  heart  is  stone. 
It  cared  nothing  for  Joseph  or  Mar>^  in  the  first  century.  It  will  care  nothing 
for  the  man  or  woman  who  looks  into  its  imperturbable  countenance  in  the 
last  century.  Within  the  sight  of  the  Bethlehem  pilgrims  there  also  stood 
the  Pyramid  of  Cheops,  from  the  top  of  which  you  may  see  the  Ruins  of 
Memphis,  the  living  and  dead  Cairos,  the  Nilometer,  that  skillful  finger  of 
stone  which  feels  the  rising  and  falling  pulse  of  the  great  river ;  the  place 
where  Moses  lay  in  the  boat  caulked  with  bitumen  ;  the  deserts  of  Africa, 
which  have  swallowed  up  in  their  thirsty  sand  explorers,  caravans  and  armies. 
Yes,  the  immortal  three  from  Bethlehem  gazed  at  the  out  side  of  palaces, 
which  within  were  the  most  gorgeous  of  the  earth  ;  palaces  aflame  with  red 
sandstone,  entered  by  gateways  that  were  guarded  with  pillars  ;  bewildering 
with  hieroglyphics  and  wound  with  brazen  serpents,  and  adorned  with  winged 
creatures,  their  eyes  and  beaks  and  pinions  glittering  with  precious  stones. 
There  were  marble  columns  blooming  into  white  flower  buds  ;  there  were  stone 
pillars,  at  the  top  bursting  into  the  shape  of  the  lotus  when  in  full  bloom.  Along 
the  avenues,  lined  with  sphinx  and  fane  and  obelisk,  there  were  princes  who- 
came  in  gorgeously  upholstered  palanquin,  carried  by  servants  in  scarlet,  or  else 
drawn  by  vehicles,  the  snow-white  horses,  golden-bitted  and  six  abreast,  dashing 
at  full  run.  There  were  fountains  from  .stone- wreathed  vases,  climbing  ladders 
of  light.  You  would  hear  a  bolt  shove,  and  a  door  of  brass  would  open  like  a 
flash  of  the  sun.  The  surrounding  gardens  were  saturated  with  odors  that 
mounted  the  terrace  and  dripped  from  the  arbors  and  burned  their  incense  in  the 


46 


FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


FRONT   VIEW  OF  THE   MUMMV   OF   PHARAOH. 


Egyptian  noon.  On  floors  of  mo- 
saic, the  glories  of  Pharaoh  were 
spelled  out  in  letters  of  porphyry 
and  beryl  and  flame.  There  were 
ornaments  twisted  from  the  wood 
of  the  tamarisk,  embossed  with  sil- 
ver breaking  into  foam.  There 
were  beds  fashioned  out  of  a  single 
precious  stone.  There  were  chairs 
spotted  with  the  sleek  hide  of  leop- 
ards. There  were  sofas  footed  with 
the  claws  of  wild  beasts  and  armed 
with  the  beaks  of  birds.  As  you 
stand  on  the  level  beach  of  the  sea 
on  a  summer  day  and  looking  either 
way  see  miles  of  breakers  white 
with  ocean-foam  dashing  shoreward, 
so  it  seems  as  if  the  sea  of  the 
world's  pomp  and  wealth  in  the 
Egyptian  capital  flung  itself  up  in 

breakers  of  white  marble,  temple,  mausoleum  and  obelisk.      Yet,  Egypt  which 

had  so  much  grandeur  and  glory 

for  her  rulers  had   only  a   room 

twenty  feet  long  and  seven  and 

a  half   feet    high   for   the   infant 

Monarch  of  the  skies. 

The  Mummy  of  Pharaoh. 

We  saw  Pharaoh  to-day.  The 
very  one  that  oppressed  the  Is- 
raelites. His  body  lies  in  the 
museum  al  Cairo,  Visible  are 
the  very  teeth  that  he  gnashed 
against  the  ^staelitish  brick- 
niakers,  the  sockets  of  the  merci- 
less eyes  with  which  he  looked 
upon  the  overburdened  people  of 
God,  the  hair  that  floated  in  the 
breeze  off"  the  Red  Sea,  the  very 
lips  with   which   he  commanded 


SIDE   VIEW   OF  THE   MUMMY   OF   PHARAOH. 


48  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

them  to  make  bricks  without  straw.  Thousands  of  years  after,  when  the 
wrappings  of  the  mummy  were  unrolled,  old  Pharaoh  lifted  up  his  arm  as  if  iu 
imploration,  but  his  skinny  bones  cannot  again  clutch  his  shattered  sceptre. 

On  a  camel's  back  on  the  way  to  Memphis,  Egypt,  I  am  writing  *yis.  How 
many  millions  have  crossed  the  desert  on  this  style  of  beast  !  Proud,  mysterious, 
solemn,  ancient,  ungainly,  majestic  and  ridiculous  shape,  stalking  out  of  the 
past.  The  driver  with  his  whip  taps  the  camel  on  the  fore-leg  and  he  kneels 
to  take  you.  But  when  he  rises,  hold  fast,  or  you  will  first  fall  off  back- 
ward as  he  puts  his  fore  feet  in  standing  position,  and  then  you  will  fall  off  in 
front  as  his  back  legs  take  their  place.  Not  a  house  or  an  inhabitant  in  all 
Memphis,  though  it  was  the  mightiest  city  under  the  sun.  I  bring  away  a  few 
stones  from  Pharaoh's  palace,  and  recall,  as  well  as  I  can,  the  once  gorgeous 
capital  of  Egypt.  ^^^^  ^^^  ^^^  ^^  ^^^  Israelites. 

From  Memphis  back  again  to  Cairo,  exhausted  by  travel,  wearied  by  reflec- 
tion on  the  mutations  of  the  ages.  But  this  morning,  I  especially  thank  God 
for  sleep.  I  feel  rested  and  buoyant.  Sleep  puts  a  bound  to  weariness.  It  says  : 
"Thus  far  shalt  thou  go  and  no  farther."  It  pours  light  into  the  eyes  and 
geniality  into  the  disposition  and  faith  into  the  heart  and  makes  a  new  world 
every  morning.  And  now  just  think  of  it  !  We  start  out  of  Egypt  for  Canaan, 
the  way  the  Israelites  went  thousands  of  years  ago.  But  thej^  went  afoot,  we 
with  flying  express  train  ;  they  fugitive  slaves,  we  American  freemen  ;  they  amid 
the  hardships  that  slew  most  of  them,  we  amid  the  luxuries  of  modern  travel  for 
recuperation  and  sight-seeing.  What  a  compliment  to  modern  civilization  and 
the  principles  of  liberty  which  have  begun  to  range  the  world  !  No  ;  I  can  put 
it  in  a  more  righteous  way  :  what  obligation  we  are  under  to  the  blessed  -God 
and  our  glorious  Christianity  !  Farewell,  land  of  Pharaoh  and  Joseph  and  Jacob, 
and  the  regions  through  which  the  infant  Christ  passed  both  ways,  from  Palestine 
to  Egypt,  and  from  Egypt  to  Palestine  ! 

Battle=field  of  Tel=el=Kebir. 

Now  we  are  passing  through  Goshen,  the  land  into  which  Pharaoh  turned 
Jacob's  cattle.  It  is  still  flowing  with  milk  and  honey.  Where  the  grass  ends 
the  crops  begin.  Cattle  browsing,  camels  laden  on  the  way  to  the  markets,  palm 
trees  and  cactus,  acacia  and  sycamore,  line  the  wa}^  Some  of  the  dark-faced 
farmers  gathering  the  old  crops,  others  planting  for  new  crops.  "  So  the  plough- 
man overtakes  the  reaper."  But  this  verdant  and  foliaged  form  scene  is  sur- 
rounded by  desert,  and  into  that  we  pass  and  arrive  at  Tel-el- Kebir,  the  great  bat- 
tle-field where  the  English,  under  Wolseley,  and  the  Egyptians  met,  and  from 
which  field  the  only  harvest  ever  reaped  was  an  awful  harvest  of  immortal  men. 
Over  these  sands,  not  in  this  balmy  atmosphere,  but  in  consuming  summer,  the 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


49 


hosts  of  Englishmen  marched  and  fought  and  fainted  and  died.  On  one  side  is 
a  fenced  and  shaded  cemetery,  with  marble  headstones,  in  which  many  of  the  offi- 
cers sleep  the  last  sleep.  But  many  of  the  troops,  the  thousands  of  private  soldiers 
who  had  fathers  and  mothers  and  wives  and  sisters  and  children,  are  in  trenches 
where  they  were  tumbled,  far  away  from  home  and  without  a  prayer.  The  siroccos 
of  this  African  desert  will  make  playthings  of  the  skeletons  of  the  fallen  cohorts. 
Now  we  are  on  the  Suez  Canal.  Between  Egypt  and  Arabia  we  are  sailing 
over  this  wonderful  sheet  of  water  which  marries  the  Mediterranean  and  the  Red 
Sea.     We  have  just  passed  a  great  ocean  steamer  that  has  on  it  all  the  marks  of 


JAFFA    OR  JOPPA. 

wrestling  with  mighty  waters.  Wonderful  De  Lesseps,  that  he  should  have  had 
this  canal  in  his  brain  before  he  projected  it  in  the  presence  of  all  nations.  What 
independence  of  character,  what'  courage,  what  persistence  it  all  implies  on  his 
part.  What  a  grand  thing  for  a  man  to  do  that  which  all  the  world  pronounces 
impossible.  How  many  hands,  how  many  spades,  how  many  weary  arms  and 
shoulders  and  feet  were  required  for  a  work  like  this  ! 

I  am  impressed  all  along  this  route  with  the   fact  that   in   eight  days  the 
Israelites  would  have  reached  Can.ian  if  they  had  gone  straight,  though  it  took 
them  forty  years.      But  it  was  best   that  they  be  lost  in  the  wilderness.     They 
4 


50  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

were  a  nation  of  slaves,  and  had  they  gone  into  Canaan  thus  undisciplined  and 
unorganized,  the  nations  of  Canaan  would  have  made  only  one  meal  of  them. 
But  they  had  forty  years  of  schooling  and  became  developed  heroes  and  then  were 
ready  in  the  name  of  the  God  of  Israel  to  defy  and  rout  opposing  hosts. 

A  Dangerous  Harbor. 

Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  we  have  arrived  at  Joppa.  I^ast  night  we  made 
our  exit  from  Egypt  and  have  come  through  the  sea  dry-shod,  and  are  now  about 
to  enter  the  ' '  Promised  Eand, ' '  through  the  gates  of  Joppa.  The  sea  is  as  smooth 
as  a  polished  floor,  although  the  harbor  has  the  worst  reputation  for  shipwrecks. 
The  guide-books  and  all  the  tourists  have  prophesied  a  terrible  debarkation  at  this 
place.  The  bottom  of  this  harbor,  they  tell  us,  is  strewn  with  human  bones. 
Fifteen  years  ago  a  boat  with  twenty-seven  pilgrims  went  down.  But  we  person- 
ally know  nothing  against  the  harbor  of  Joppa.  Hardly  a  ripple  on  the  sea. 
Floods  of  sunshine.  May  all  the  rough  stories  about  death  prove  in  our  cases  as 
untrue,  and  our  entrance  into  the  promised  land  of  heaven  be  as  placid  !  May  it 
be  a  radiant  harbor  !  We  are  ashore  and  are  met  by  people  of  many  nationalities. 
While  I  am  writing  this,  the  air  is  full  of  fragrance,  gardens  all  a-bloom  though 
the  first  of  December,  and  we  are  surrounded  by  acacia,  tamarisk,  oleander,  palm, 
mulberry,  century  plant  and  orange  groves,  the  oranges  either  ripe  or  ripening, 
the  orange  tree  in  March  having  both  fruit  and  blossom,  and  all  the  year  round 
in  foliage,  so  that  it  fulfills  the  prophecy,  "Their  leaf  also  shall  not  wither." 

On  the  back  of  hills  Joppa  is  lifted  toward  the  skies.  It  is  as  picturesque 
as  it  is  quaint,  and  as  much  unlike  any  city  we  have  ever  seen  as  though  it  were 
in  another  world,  Jupiter  or  Saturn  or  Mars.  It  comes  out  into  the  sea  to  meet 
one  so  that  I  felt  like  shouting  to  it  in  salutation  from  the  deck  of  the  steamer 
Senegal.  Jonah  and  the  Whale. 

We  this  morning  disembarked  where  Jonah  embarked.  How  vividly  now 
the  stor>^  comes  to  mind  !  God  told  Jonah  to  go  to  Nineveh  and,  declining  that 
call,  he  came  here  to  Joppa.  I  have  been  consulting  some  weeks  past  with  tourist 
companies  as  to  how  I  could  take  Nineveh  on  this  trip.  They  have  not  encouraged 
me  to  go.  It  is  a  most  tedious  route  and  a  desert.  Now  I  see  an  additional  reason 
why  Jonah  did  not  want  to  go  to  Nineveh.  He  not  only  revolted  because  of  the 
disagreeable  message  he  was  called  to  deliver  at'  Nineveh,  but  because  it  was  a 
long  way  and  rough  and  bandit-infested.  So  he  came  here  to  Joppa  and  took 
ship.  But  alas  for  the  disastrous  voyage.  Why  people  should  doubt  the  story 
of  Jonah  and  the  whale  is  more  of  a  mystery  than  the  Bible  event  itself.  The 
same  thing  has  occurred  a  thousand  times.  The  Eord  always  has  a  whale  waiting 
outside  the  harbor  for  a  man  who  starts  in  the  wrong  direction.  Recreant  Jonah  ! 
2  do  not  wonder  that  even  the  whale  was  sick  of  him. 


FROM  MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


51 


Now  the  sun  is  sinking 
f^f  behind  the  hills,  and  my  first 
day  in  Palestine  is  closing. 
Never  will  I  forget  Joppa,  the 
city  by  the  sea,  city  of  archi- 
tecturaled  hill ;  city  where  Dor- 
cas immortalized  her  needle 
and  conquered  death  on  her 
own  pillow  ;  and  city  where 
the  two  dreams  of  Peter  and 
Cornelius  met :  and  where  Na- 
poleon on  the  retreat  had  his 
sick  soldiers  poisoned  because 


I'-  Applcluu  &Co. 


ROADSIDE    FOUNTAIN    AND    TOMB. 


52 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


he  could  not  take  them  down  through  Egypt ;  city  at  whose  harbor  floated 
the  timber  rafts  for  two  temples,  the  ox-teams  drawing  through  these  streets 
the  cedars  for  Jerusalem. 

To-day  I  have  seen  floating  the  American  flag,  the  English  flag,  the  Russian 
flag,  the  Turkish  flag,  and  the  Mohammedan  dropping  his  forehead  to  the  earth 
in  devotion,  and  all  nations  on  the  streets  of  one  of  the  strangest  cities  I  ever 
beheld. 

This  morning  for  the  first  time  I  have  seen  a  man  "  take  up  his  bed  and 
walk."  He  had  slept  out  of  doors,  and  now  he  rolls  together  a  blanket  and  pillow 
and  a  mattress,  with  a  cord  binds  them  securely,  and  then  shoulders  the  bundle 
which  he  easily  carries  away. 

All  Aboard  for  Jerusalem. 

Glad  that  we  came  now  instead  of  some  years  hence,  when  much  of  the 
religious  romance  will  have  been  banished  forever.  A  banker  of  Joppa,  assisted 
by  others,  is  about  to  begin  to  build  a  railroad  from  Joppa  to  Jerusalem.  When 
this  railroad  is  done,  the  steam  whistle  will  be  heard  at  Joppa,  and  the  con- 
ductors' cry,  "All  aboard  for  Jerusalem  !  "  Then  branch  roads  will  be  built  and 
the  cr>^  will  be  "Twenty  minutes  for  dinner  at  Nazareth,"  Change  cars  for 
Damascus,"  "  All  out  for  the  Grand  Trunk  to  Nineveh,"  and  camel  and  mule  and 
dragoman  will  go  their  way,  and  lightning  wheel  will  be  substituted  for  hoof  and 
diligence  ! 

Now  it  is  Monday  morning,  and  we  are  on  the  way  to  Jerusalem.  Along 
the  route  I  am  amazed  beyond  expression  at  the  boldness  and  jaggedness  of  the 
scenery  of  the  Holy  Eand.  I  expected  to  see  it  rough,  but  not  Alpinian  and 
Sierra  Nevadian  in  grandeur.  The  hills  are  amphitheatres,  piled-up  galleries  of 
gray  rock,  with  intervals  of  soil  brown  and  maroon,  until  the  eye  and  head  and 
heart  surrender,  and  the  lips  that  for  a  long  time  were  exclamatory  become 
speechless. 

Before  sundown  we  will  see  Jerusalem.  I  never  had  such  high  expectations 
of  seeing  any  place  as  of  seeing  the  Hol}^  City.  I  found  myself  singing  "Jeru- 
salem, my  happy  home,"  while  dressing  myself  this  morning.  I  think  my 
feelings  may  be  slightly  akin  to  that  of  the  Christian  just  about  to  enter  the 
Heavenly  Jerusalem.  My  ideas  regarding  the  earthly  Jerusalem  are  bewil- 
dering. Have  I  not  seen  pictures  of  it  ?  Oh  yes,  but  the}-  ha\'e  only  increased 
the  bewilderment.  They  were  taken  from  a  variety  af  standpoints.  If 
twenty  artists  attempt  to  picture  Brooklyn  or  New  York,  they  will  plant  their 
cameras  at  different  places  and  take  as  many  different  pictures.  I  must  .see 
the  city  with  my  own  eyes.  I  must  walk  around  about  it,  and  ' '  tell  the  towers 
thereof." 


54  FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

On  the  Sacred  Hill  Golgotha. 

Arrived  in  Jerusalem,  the  first  place  we  seek  is  Mount  Calvar}'. 

This  noon-day  hour  on  Golgotha  is  the  most  solemn  and  overwhelming  hour 
of  my  life.  I  tried  to  read  two  of  the  Bible  accounts  of  the  Crucifixion,  but  it 
was  done  with  many  pauses.  I  defy  any  one  on  this  spot  to  read  with  firm  voice 
and  consecutive  utterance  the  description  given  by  L,uke  and  John  of  the 
mightiest  scene  of  all  the  ages  which  was  enacted  here.     Our  group  lying  down 


"XHU  ri^ACE  OF  A  SKULL."— (The  path  shown  at  the  foot  of  the   cliff  is  the  same  that 
Jesus  followed  on  his  way  to  crucifixion.) 

on  the  place  where  the  three  crosses  stood,  I  read  to  them,  and  I  think  the  prayer 
of  the  penitent  malefactor  became  the  prayer  of  each  one  of  us.  ' '  Lord,  remem- 
ber me."  It  was  about  this  hour  that  the  sun  was  darkened  and  midnight  fell 
on  midnoon.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  hill  dbove  the  place  heretofore 
called  "Jeremiah's  Grotto,"  is  the  hill  on  which  Christ  was  put  to  death.  The 
late  General  Gordon  has  made  a  tnold  of  this  hill,  and  the  opinion  being  adopted 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  55 

by  nearly  all  who  visit  Jerusalem  in  these  days  is  that  the  hill  011  which  we  now 
sit  was  the  place  of  the  Great  Tragedy.  The  New  Testament  calls  the  locality  of 
execution,  Golgotha,  or  the  ''  Place  of  a  skull.''  I  care  not  from  what  direction 
vou  look  at  this  hill,  you  recognize  the  shape  of  a  human  skull — you  have  but  to 
feel  of  your  own  cranium  to  realize  the  contour  of  Calvary.  The  caverns  a  little 
way  beneath  the  top  suggest  eyeless  sockets.  The  grotto  underneath  is  also  the 
shape  of  the  inside  of  a  skull.  This  hill  is  the  only  hill  anywhere  near  Jerusalem 
that  corresponds  with  the  Bible  description  of  being  skull-shaped.  We  have 
inspired  authority  for  saying  that  Christ  was  crucified  outside  the  gate.  This  hill 
is  just  outside  the  Damascus  Gate.  Moreover,  all  traditions  agree  that  this  hill  I 
speak  of  was  the  place  where  malefactors  in  olden  time  were  put  to  death,  and 
Christ  was  executed  as  a  malefactor.  The  Bible  lets  us  know  that  the  Hill  of 
Calvary  was  near  a  great  thoroughfare,  the  people  passing  by  ' '  wagging  their 
heads."  This  hill  was  then,  as  it  is  now,  beside  a  great  thoroughfare.  The 
arguments  in  behalf  of  this  particular  hill  as  the  place  of  the  Lord's  violent  death 
are  conclusive.  In  pamphlets  and  books  those  arguments  are  now  appearing, 
and  all  intelligent  people  will  yet  ag:ee  upon  this  "  Place  of  a  skulV  as  the  centre 
from  which  continents  have  been  touched  and  from  which  all  the  world  will  ^-et 
be  moved.  So  certain  am  I  of  this  that  to-day  with  my  own  hands  I  have  rolled 
down  from  this  hill  a  stone  which  I  shall  take  to  America  as  a  memorial  stone  for 
my  new  Church  now  building.  That  stone  placed  on  top  of  a  .stone  from  Mount 
Sinai,  for  the  obtaining  of  which  camels  are  now  crossing  the  Desert,  will,  after 
all  the  lips  now  living  shall  have  become  speechless,  preach  with  two  lips  of 
stone  the  Law  and  the  Gospel. 

What  a  place  of  interest  is  Jerusalem,  whichever  way  we  look.  It  is  the 
mo<5t  sacred  city  of  our  planet.  There  is  much  squalor  here  now,  but  the  present 
is,  in  my  mind,  overwhelmed  with  the  past. 

The  Glory  of  Solomon. 

The  procession  of  kings,  conquerors,  poets  and  immortal  men  and  women 
pass  before  me  as  I  stand  here.  Among  the  throng  are  Solomon,  David  and 
Christ.  Yes,  through  these  streets  and  amid  these  surroundings  rode  Solomon, 
that  wonder  of  splendor  and  wretchedness.  It  seemed  as  if  the  world  exhausted 
itself  on  that  man.  It  wove  its  brightest  flowers  into  his  garland.  It  set  its 
richest  gems  in  his  coronet.  It  pressed  the  rarest  wine  to  his  lip.  It  robed  him 
in  the  purest  purple  and  embroidery.  It  cheered  him  with  the  sweetest  music  in 
that  land  of  harps.  It  greeted  him  v.'ith  the  gladdest  laughter  that  ever  leaped 
from  mirth's  lip.  It  sprinkled  his  cheek  with  spray  from  the  brighte.st  fountains. 
Royalty  had  no  dominion,  wealth  no  luxury,  gold  no  glitter,  flowers  no  sweet- 
ness, song  no  melody,  light  no  radiance,  upholstery  no  gorgeousness,  waters  no 


56 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


gleam,  birds  no  plumage,  prancing  coursers  no  mettle,  architecture  no  grandeur, 
but  was  all  his.  Across  the  thick  grass  of  the  lawn,  fragrant  with  tufts  of  cam- 
phire  from  Engedi,  fell  the  long  shadows  of  trees  brought  from  distant  forests. 
Fish-pools,  fed  by  artificial  channels  that  brought  the  streams  from  hills  far  away, 
were  perpetually  ruffled  with  fins,  and  golden  scales  shot  from  water-cave  to 
water-cave  with  endless  dive  and  swirl,  attracting  the  gaze  of  foreign  potentates  ; 
birds  that  had  been  brought  from  foreign  aviaries  glanced  and  fluttered  among 


PORTIONS   OF  THR   ANCII<;nT   WALIv   OF  JKRUSAI^KM,  KRECTKD  BEFORE  THE  TIME  OF  SOtOMON. 


the  foliage,  and  called  to  their  mates  far  beyond  the  sea.  From  the  royal  stables 
there  came  up  the  neighing  of  twelve  thousand  horses,  standing  in  blankets  of 
Tyrian  purple,  chewing  their  bits  over  troughs  of  gold,  waiting  for  the  king's 
order  to  be  brought  out  in  front  of  the  palace,  when  the  official  dignitaries  would 
leap  into  the  saddle  for  some  grand  parade,  or,  harnessed  to  some  of  the  fourteen 


TOMB   OF    ABSALOM    IN   THK   VALK    OK  JKHOSHAI'HAT. 


LS7) 


58  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

hundred  chariots  of  the  king,  the  fiery  chargers  with  flaunting  mane  and  throbbing 
nostril  would  make  the  earth  jar  with  the  tramp  of  hoofs  and  the  thunder  of  wheels. 
While  within  and  without  the  palace  you  could  not  think  of  a  single  luxury  that 
could  be  added,  or  of  a  single  splendor  that  could  be  kindled  ;  down  on  the  banks 
of  the  sea  the  dry-docks  of  Ezion-geber  rang  with  the  hammers  of  the  shipwrights 
who  were  constructing  larger  vessels  for  a  still  wider  commerce  ;  for  all  lands  and 
climes  were  to  be  robbed  to  make  up  Solomon's  glory.  No  rest  till  his  keels 
shall  cut  every  sea,  his  axemen  hew  every  forest,  his  archers  strike  every  rare 
wing,  his  fishermen  whip  every  stream,  his  merchants  trade  in  every  bazaar,  his 
name  be  honored  by  every  tribe  ;  and  royalty  shall  have  no  dominion,  wealth  no 
luxury,  gold  no  glitter,  song  no  melody,  light  no  radiance,  waters  no  gleam,  birds 
no  plumage,  prancing  coursers  no  mettle,  upholstery  no  gorgeousness,  architec- 
ture no  grandeur,  but  it  was  all  his. 

To  say  that  Solomon  was  a  millionaire  gives  but  a  very  imperfect  idea  of  the 
property  he  inherited  from  David,  his  father.  He  had  at  his  command  gold  and 
silver  in  amounts  that  stagger  all  arithmetic.  About  his  exact  wealth  authors 
have  differed,  but  all  agree  that  it  was  far  ahead  of  any  other  man's  possessions, 
beyond  all  modern  millionairdom.  The  Queen  of  Sheba  made  him  a  nice  little  pres- 
ent of  seven  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  pounds,  and  Hiram  made  him  a  present 
of  the  same  amount.  If  he  had  lost  the  value  of  a  whole  realm  out  of  his  pocket, 
it  would  have  hardly  been  worth  his  while  to  stoop  down  and  pick  it  up.  He 
wrote  one  thousand  and  five  songs.  He  wrote  three  thousand  proverbs.  He 
wrote  about  almost  everything.  The  Bible  says  distinctly  he  wrote  about  plants, 
from  the  cedar  of  Eebanon  to  the  hyssop  that  groweth  out  of  the  wall,  and  about 
birds  and  beasts  and  fishes.  No  doubt  he  put  off  his  royal  robes,  and  put  on 
hunter's  trappings,  and  went  out  with  his  arrows  to  bring  down  the  rarest  speci- 
mens of  birds  ;  and  then  with  his  fishing  apparatus  he  went  down  to  the  stream 
to  bring  up  the  denizens  of  the  deep,  and  plunged  into  the  forest  and  found  the 
rarest  specimens  of  flowers  ;  and  then  he  came  back  to  his  study  and  wrote  books 
about  zoology,  the  science  of  animals  ;  about  ichthyology,  the  science  of  fishes  ; 
about  ornithology,  the  science  of  birds  ;  about  botany,  the  science  of  plants. 

The  Grief  of  David. 

But  here  passes  through  these  streets,  as  in  imagination  I  see  him,  quite  as 
wonderful  and  a  far  better  man,  David,  the  conqueror,  the  king,  the  poet.  Can 
it  be  that  I  am  in  the  very  city  where  he  lived  and  reigned  ?  Yes,  I  have  since 
coming  here  stood  in  the  very  place  where  he  received  the  news  of  Absalom's 
death.  He  was  wrapped  up  in  his  boy  Absalom.  He  w^s  a  splendid  boy,  judged 
by  the  rules  of  worldly  criticism.  From  the  crown  of  his  head  to  the  sole  of  his 
foot  there  was  not  a  single  blemish.     The  Bible  says  that  he  had  such  a  luxuriant 


FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


59- 


shock  of  hair  that  when  once  a  year  it  was  shorn,  that  which  was  cut  oflf  weighed 
over  three  pounds.  But,  notwithstanding  all  his  brilliancy  of  appearance,  he  was 
a  bad  boy,  and  broke  his  father's  heart.  He  was  plotting  to  get  the  throne  of 
Israel.  He  had  marshaled  an  army  to  overthrow  his  father's  government.  The 
day  of  battle  had  come.  The  conflict  was  begun.  David,  the  father,  sat  between 
the  gates  of  the  palace  waiting  for  the  tidings  of  the  conflict.  Oh,  how  rapidly 
his  heart  beat  with  emotion.  Two  great  questions  were  to  be  decided  :  the  safety^ 
of  his  boy,  and  the  continuance  of  the  throne  of  Israel.     After  a  while  a  servant, 


TOWKR   OR    IIOUSR   OF   DAVID   IN  JKRUSAI.lvM. 

Standing  on  the  top  of  the  house,  looks  off  and  he  sees  some  one  running.  He  is 
coming  with  great  speed,  and  the  man  on  the  top  of  the  house  announces  the 
coming  of  the  messenger,  and  the  father  watches  and  waits,  and  as  soon  as  the 
messenger  from  the  field  of  battle  comes  within  hailing  distance  the  father  cries 
out.  Is  it  a  question  in  regard  to  the  establishment  of  his  throne  ?  Does  he  say : 
"  Have  the  armies  of  Israel  been  victorious  ?  Am  I  to  continue  in  my  imperial 
authority  ?     Have  I  overthrown  my  enemies  ? ' '     Oh  !  no.     There  is  one  question. 


6o  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

that  springs  from  his  heart  to  the  lip,  and  springs  from  the  lip  into  the  ear  of  the 
besweated  and  bedusted  messenger  flying  from  the  battle-field — the  question,  "  Is 
the  young  man  Absalom  safe?"  When  it  was  told  to  David,  the  king,  that, 
though  his  armies  had  been  victorious,  his  son  had  been  slain,  the  father  turned 
his  back  upon  the  congratulations  of  the  nation,  and  went  up  the  stairs  of  his 
palace,  his  heart  breaking  as  he  went,  wringing  his  hands  sometimes,  and  then 
again  pressing  them  against  his  temples  as  though  he  would  crush  them  in, 
crying  :  "  O  my  son  Absalom  !  my  son  !  my  son  Absalom  !  Would  God  I  had 
died  for  thee,  O  Absalom!  my  son!  my  son!"  Stupendous  grief  of  David 
resounding  through  all  succeeding  ages  ! 

The  Great  Temple  that  Herod  Built. 

I  am  also  thrilled  and  overpowered  with  the  remembrance  that  yonder,  where 
now  stands  a  Mohammedan  mosque,  stood  the  Temple,  the  very  one  that  Christ 
visited.  Solomon's  Temple  had  stood  there,  but  Nebuchadnezzar  thundered  it 
down.  Zerubbabel's  Temple  had  stood  there,  but  that  had  been  prostrated. 
Then  Herod  built  a  temple  because  he  was  fond  of  great  architecture,  and  he 
wanted  the  preceding  temples  to  seem  insignificant.  Put  eight  or  ten  modern 
cathedrals  together  and  they  would  not  equal  that  structure.  It  covered  nineteen 
acres.  There  were  marble  pillars  supporting  roofs  of  cedar,  and  silver  tables 
on  which  stood  golden  cups,  and  there  were  carvings  exquisite,  and  inscriptions 
resplendent,  glittering  balustrades  and  ornamented  gateways.  The  building  of 
this  temple  kept  ten  thousand  workmen  busy  forty-six  years.  Stupendous  pile 
of  pomp  and  magnificence  !  But  the  material  and  architectural  grandeur  of  the 
building  were  very  tame  compared  with  the  spiritual  meaning  of  its  altars,  its 
Holy  of  Holies,  and  the  overwhelming  significance  of  its  ceremonies. 

Where  Elijah  was   Fed  by  Ravens. 

Now  we  are  on  the  road  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho.  We  started  out  early 
and  crossed  the  Jehoshaphat  valley,  which,  if  it  had  not  been  memorable  in 
history  and  were  only  now  discovered,  would  excite  the  admiration  of  all  who 
look  upon  it,  so  deep,  so  wide,  so  long,  so  tunneled  with  graves,  so  overlooked 
by  Jerusalem  walls.  With  enough  books  in  my  saddle-bags,  on  a  horse  sure-footed 
for  the  mountain  passes,  and  in  good  company,  and  within  sight  of  Mount  Olivet, 
and  close  by  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane,  and  with  the  heavens  and  the  earth  full 
of  sunshine,  we  start  on  the  famous  road  to  Jericho.  We  pasg  through  ravines 
and  gorges,  and  by  dark  caves  which  might  be  an  entrenchment  for  robbers  like 
those  which  the  man  fell  among  on  his  way  to  Jericho  along  this  very  road.  We 
have  to-day  met  several  groups  of  Bedouins,  who,  judging  from  their  counten- 
ances, might  be  easily  turned  into  bandits.     But  the  supremacy  of  law,  even 


FROM    MANGKR    TO    THRONE. 


6i 


though  it  be  Turkish  law,  and  our  accompaniment  of  twelve  stout  men,  escorts 
and  attendants,  put  us  out  of  the  danger  of  being  like  that  previous  traveler, 
stripped  and  wounded  and  left  half  dead.  What  scenery  we  are  passing  through  ! 
How  any  man  can  be  disappointed  with  the  Holy  Land  I  cannot  understand. 


•%«>^  ■' ^ 

TOMR    OF   DAVID. 

Some  of  the  Palestine  tourists  have  been  chiefly  impressed  with  the  fleas,  the  filth 
and  the  beggars.  To  me  the  scenery,  if  it  had  no  sacred  associations,  would  be 
appallingly  majestic.  There  is  nothing  in  America  or  Europe  that  surpasses  it  for 
a  mingling  of  beauty  and  grandeur.  "What  is  that  ravine?"  I  cry  out  to  the 
dragoman.     He  says,  "  That  is  the  brook.  Cherith  ;  here  is  where  the  ravens  fed 


-62 


FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


Elijah."  "Are  there  any  ravens  in  this  region  now?"  I  asked.  He  answered, 
' '  Yes  ;  they  are  large,  in  size  between  the  buzzard  and  the  eagle,  and  could  carry 
a  heavy  piece  of  meat  if  they  tried. ' '  But  how  different  is  the  brook  Cherith 
from  all  my  preconceived  notions  of  it.  It  is  like  one  of  the  awful  gulches  in 
Yellowstone  Park.  It  is  six  hundred  feet  from  the  top  of  the  bank.  It  has  in  its 
sides  great  caverns,  where  Bedouins  make  their  home.  The  brook  Cherith  when 
in  full  force  is  a  silver  wedge  splitting  the  mountains  into  precipices.  But  behold 
the  valley  of  the  Jordan  and  the  Dead  Sea  bursting  upon  our  vision,  and  in  an 
hour  we  are  at  the  two  Jerichos,  the  one  where,  at  the  sound  of  the  poor  music 
played  on  "ram's  horns,"  the  walls  crashed,  and  the  other  Jericho  where  short 

Zaccheus  from  the  gallery  of  a 
s\camore  tree  hailed  the  Lord, 
and  the  L,ord  hailed  him.  It 
was  here  our  Saviour  so  beau- 
tifully announced  His  mission, 
' '  The  Son  of  Man  is  come  to 
seek  and  save  that  which  was 
lost,"  By  the  warmth  of  a 
camp-fire  I  sit  down  to  write 
this,  and  looking  up  see  the 
Quarantania,  the  mountain  of 
Christ's  temptation.  I  am  at 
the  foot  of  that  ' '  verj^  higli 
mountain"  where  Christ  wa*' 
"led  up  of  the  Spirit"  to  be 
tempted.  Neither  on  the  sides 
of  it  nor  on  the  top  is  there  a 
spear  of  grass  or  a  flower.  It 
is  a  desert  mountain.  Its  rob- 
ber dens  are  here  visible.  Amid 
these  indentations  and  on  the  cold  bleak  heights,  and  alone,  save  when  angels 
came  to  minister  unto  Him,  Christ  stayed  in  that  awful  struggle  against  pande- 
moniac  cohorts  which  rode  up  to  trouble  and  bafQe  and  destroy,  if  they  could, 
the  Son  of  God.  As  on  the  top  of  the  city  temple  Christ  battling  with  temp- 
tation illustrated  His  willingness  to  sympathize  with  those  who  are  struggling 
with  city  allurements,  so  by  the  memory  of  His  contest  here  in  lonely  places 
He  is  willing  to  come  to  the  rescue  of  those  who  in  .country  places,  or  alone, 
confront  the  Satanic.  A  depression  on  either  side  the  mountain  seems  to  divide 
it  from  the  other  ranges  so  that  the  mountain  is  itself  alone.  And  now  the  sun 
is  setting,   making  the  mountains  look    like  balustrades  and  embattlements   of 


DR.  TALMAGE  ON  THE  BANKS  OF  THE  DEAD  SEA. 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


63 


amber  and  gold,  and  the  moon  just  above  the  crests  seems  to  be  a  window  of 
heaven  through  which  immortals  might  be  looking  down  upon  the  scene. 

A  Baptism  in  the  Jordan. 

Yesterday  on  horseback  we  left  Jericho,  and  having  dipped  in  the  Dead  Sea^ 
we  came  with  a  feeling  that  we  cannot  describe  upon  the  Jordan,  a  river  which 
more  people  have  desired  to  see  than  any  other.  On  our  way  we  overtook  an 
American  who  requested  me  to  baptize  him  by  immersion  in  the  river  Jordan. 
We  dismounted  at  the  place  where  Joshua  and  his  host  crossed  the  river  drj'-shod. 
We  were  near  a 
turn  in  the  river 
and  not  far  off 
from  where  rocks 
and  sands  are 
piled  up  in  shape 
of  cathedrals, 
domes  and  bat- 
tlements. We 
pitched  our  tent, 
and  after  proper 
examination  of  the 
candidate  for  bap- 
tism, I  selected 
portions  of  Scrip- 
ture appropriate. 
One  of  our  Arab 
attendants  had  a 
garment  not  un- 
like    a  baptismal 

robe.     With    that  dr.  talmage  baptizing  a  candidate  in  the  jordan. 

garment  girdled  around  me,  I  led  the  candidate  down  under  the  trees  on  the 
bank,  while  near  by  were  groups  of  friends  and  some  strangers  who  happened 
to  be  there.  After  a  prayer,  I  read  of  Christ's  baptism  in  the  Jordan,  and  the 
commission  "Go  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them."  The  people  on  the  bank 
then  joined  in  singing  to  the  familiar  tune  that  soul-stirring  song  : 

"  On  Jordan's  stormy  bank  I  stand." 

With  the  candidate's  hand  in  mine,  we  waded  deep  into  the  Jordan,  and  I 
then  declared,  "  In  this  historical  river,  where  the  Israelites  crossed,  and  Naaman 
plunged  seven  times  for  the  cure  of  his  leprosy,  and  Christ  was  baptized  and  which 


64 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


has  been  used  in 
all  ages  as  a  sym- 
bol of   the  divi- 
ding    line   be- 
tween earth  and 
heaven,    I    bap- 
tize thee  in  the  name  of  the  Father 
and  of  the  Son   and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  Amen."     As  the  candidate 
went  down    under   the   waves   and 
then  rose,  I  felt  a  solemnity  that  no 
other    scene   could    have    inspired. 
As  the  ordinance  was  observed  un- 
der the  direction  of  no   particular 
denomination  of  Christians,  and  no 
particular  church  could  be  responsi- 
ble for  it,  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  report 
what  I  did  to  the  Church  Universal. 
On  our  way  up  from  Jericho  to  Jerusalem  the  sini  was  very  hot.     I  got  oflT 


JERICHO   OF  TO-DAY 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  65 

and  .sat  under  the  shadow  of  the  horse.  I  felt  as  if  I  could  not  ride  another  step, 
but  the  dragoman  informed  us  that  a  little  way  oif  was  a  cool  place.  Soon  we 
halted  by  a  ledge  of  rocks,  the  mountain  was  between  us  and  the  sun,  and  threw 
a  sombre  blanket  over  us.  And  three  or  four  of  us  spontaneoush'  cried  out : 
* '  This  is  the  shadow  of  a  great  rock  in  a  weary  land  !  " 

A  Pilgrimage  to  the  Birthplace  of  Christ. 

Now  we  are  back  again  in  Jerusalem,  and  must  make  an  excursion  to  our 
Lord's  birthplace.  At  nine  o'clock  this  crisp  December  morning,  for  there  was  a 
sharp  frost  last  night,  I  am  afoot  on  the  road  from  Jerusalem  to  Bethlehem  ;  I 
hav^e  just  crossed  the  valley  of  Hinnom.  It  is  deep  and  impressive,  a  wall  of 
rock  on  one  side  and  a  steep  hill  on  the  other,  mounting  toward  the  Holy  Cit}',  a 
few  olive  trees  on  the  way  up  as  though  they  had  climbed  as  far  as  Jthe}-  could, 
and  then  halted.  I  pass  the  plain  where  Absalom  marshaled  troops  against  his 
father  David,  and  the  hill  of  Evil  Council,  where  Judas  planned  for  the  capture 
of  Christ.  I  am  on  the  road  where  the  wise  men  went  to  find  Christ  at  the  order 
of  Herod,  men  wise  enough  not  to  make  report  to  the  cruel  monster.  It  is  the 
road  that  marks  the  distance  between  the  birthplace  and  the  death-place  of  Him 
who  made  the  world  and  will  yet  redeem  it.  Christ  made  long  journeys,  but  after 
all,  died  within  five  miles  of  His  early  home.  In  all  the  region  through  which 
this  road  runs,  the  Davidic,  Solomonic  and  Herodic  histories  overlap  each  other. 
I  meet  on  the  road  many  camels  with  heavy  burdens  on  their  way  to  Jerusalem. 
These  animals  set  one  thinking  as  does  no  other  creature,  and  I  enjoy  meeting 
them  on  foot  better  than  I  enjoyed  riding  upon  their  backs.  But  now  Bethlehem 
is  in  sight,  and  we  are  toiling  up  the  hills  which  Joseph  and  Mary  ascended  in 
this  same  month  of  December,  long,  long  years  ago.  The  town  of  Bethlehem,  to 
my  surprise,  is  in  the  shape  of  a  horseshoe,  the  houses  extending  clear  on  to  the 
prongs  of  the  horsehoe,  between  which  I  look  and  see  the  fields  where  Ruth 
gleaned  and  Boaz  was  fascinated  with  her  charms,  and  about  which  is  garlanded 
the  immortal  pastoral  which,  in  the  Bible,  lies  peacefully  between  the  war-lyrics 
of  Judges  and  Samuel.  Though  David  was  a  "manof  w^ar,"  his  great-grand- 
mother, Ruth,  was  a  farmer's  wife  and  a  woman  of  peace.  Near  one  end  of  the 
semicircle  of  rocks  on  which  Bethlehem  stands  is  David's  well,  now  a  wide,  deep 
basin  of  stone,  almost  dry,  but  at  certain  seasons  almost  full.  No  Avonder  that 
when  David  was  hounded  of  persecution  and  thirsty,  he  wanted  a  cool  draught 
out  of  it,  crying  :  "  Oh  that  one  would  give  me  to  drink  of  the  water  of  the  well 
of  Bethlehem  which  is  by  the  gate."  The  mouth  of  the  \ve\\  cut  out  of  the  eternal 
rock  is  about  four  feet  across  from  edge  to  edge,  and  a  wet  goat-skin  bottle  was 
lying  near  by.  But  we  must  not  dwell  too  long  on  the  topography  of  Bethlehem. 
Hills,  hills,  hills  !  Rocks,  rocks,  rocks  !  From  the  village,  looking  down,  the 
5 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


67 


backs  of  the  mountains  appear  like  the  backs  of  the  mountains  of  New  Hamp- 
shire from  the  top  of  Mount  Washington.  The  whole  scene,  more  rough  and  rude 
than  can  be  imagined.  Verily  Christ  did  not  choose  a  soft  and  genial  place  in 
which  to  be  born.  But  the  scenery,  though  rough,  is  sublime,  and  the  hills  for 
width  and  precipitation  are  displays  omnipotent.     The  gate  through  which  our 


\AI.!.i;\'    Ol'    IIINXOM,    OX   THE   ROAD   TO    HKTHLEHKM. 

Lord  entered  this  world  was  a  gate  of  rock,  a  hard,  cold  gate,  as  the  gate  through 
which  He  departed  was  a  swing-gate  of  sharpened  spears. 

By  Sacred  Places  of  the  Holy  Land. 

Now  we  leave  Jerusalem  for  the  long  journey  north  through  Palestine.  A 
little  way  out  we  got  on  a  hill  and  took  the  last  look  at  Jerusalem,  and  I  felt 
and  remarked  it  was  the  last  look  at  that  sacred  city  on  earth,  and  the  next  Jeru- 
salem we  shall  see  will  be  the  heavenly.  We  went  on  within  sight  of  Mizpah 
and  Gibeon,  where  Joshua    commanded  the  sun  to  stand  still  ;    on   by  Rama, 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


69 


connected  with  Samuel's  history  ;  on  by  the  traditional  village  where  the  parents 
of  Christ  missed  their  boy,  about  three  and  a  half  miles  from  Jerusalem.  This  is 
the  road  over  which  Jesus  came  and  went  from  Jerusalem  to  Nazareth.  To-night 
we  encamp  at  Bethel,  where  was  once  a  school  of  the  prophets,  a  theological 
seminary.  Elijah  and  Elisha  were  here.  Near  this  Abraham  and  Eot  divided 
the  land.     Here  Jacob,  pillowed  on  a  stone,  saw  the  ladder  used  by  angels'  feet, 


DAVID'S   WiCLI,    NKAR    BETHLKHKM. 

and  he  set  up  a  stone  and  consecrated  it.  To-night  the  heavens  were  full  of 
ladders,  first  a  ladder  of  clouds,  then  a  ladder  of  stars,  and  all  up  and  down  the 
heavens  are  the  angels  of  beauty,  angels  of  consolation,  angels  of  God  ascending 
and  descending.  "Surely  God  is  in  this  place,"  said  Jacob,  "and  I  knew  it 
not."     But  to-night  God  is  in  this  place  and  I  know  it. 


70 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


The  next  night  we  encamp  on  the  ruins  of  Ahab'  s  ivory  palace  and  within 
sight  of  the  pillars  of  one  of  Herod's  temples.     But  this  place  is  more  distin- 


x^^  .^,.,,r,^,,,„.„^,^—,-^--.,,,^^.^  1^,,.,^,,.^^  Copyright.  1881, 

^K'TT  '4ll'SHSS3ini«ifA;iiimMMcTO«  Appiewn  &  co. 

FIEt,D   NEAR   BETHLEHEM,    WHERE   DAVID   GRAZED   HIS   FATHER'S    FLOCKS. 

guished  for  Elijah's  vision  and  the  equipage  of  fire.  The  place  is  girt  with  a 
blue  sash  of  mountains.  The  next  day  we  saw  the  tomb  of  Joseph.  His  bones 
were  brought  up  from  Egypt.     Gentile  and  Jew,  Protestant  and  Catholic,  and 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


71 


Mohammedan,    agree   that  this   is  the  place  of  that    Prime    Minister's   burial. 
What  a  funeral  it  must  have  been  and  wliat  a  procession  from  Egypt  to  Canaan  ! 

At  the  Well  of  Jacob. 
We  dismounted  from  our  horses  in   a  heavy  rain   at   "Jacob's  Well,"  and 
our  dragoman  on  the  slippery  stones  nearly  fell  into  the  deep  chasm  of  this  most 


JACOB'S   WRTX. 

memorable  of  all  the  wells  ever  digged.  I  measured  the  well  at  the  top  and 
found  it  six  feet  from  edge  to  edge.  Some  grass  and  weeds  and  thorny  growths 
overhang  it.  In  one  place  the  roof  is  broken  through.  Large  stones  embank 
the  well  on  all  sides.  Our  dragoman  took  pebbles  and  dropped  them  in,  and 
from  the  time  they  left  his  hand  to  the  instant  they  clicked  on  the  bottom  you 
could  hear  it  was  very  deep.  It  is  a  rich  region  of  land,  "  the  parcel  of  ground 
that  Jacob  gave  to  his  son  Joseph, ' '  and  I  do  not  wonder  the  old  patriarch  bought 


72  FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

it,  for  it  is  a  farm  field  of  great  luxuriance,  and  however  much  he  paid  for  it  he 

got  it  cheap.     Within  sight,  as  we  stood  at  the  well,  were  Mount  Gerizim  and 

Mount  Ebal,  each  eight  hundred  feet  high,  the  mountains  of  cursing  and  blessing. 

The  woman  of  Samaria,  who  met  Christ  at  this  w^ell,  told  the  truth,  as  my 

own  eyesight  testifies,  when  she  said,  ' '  The  well  is  deep, ' '  and  no  wonder  she 

cried  out,  "Thou  hast  nothing  to  draw  with."     She  knew  not  that  Christ  was 

speaking  of  spiritual  supply.     For  that  well  God  gives  everyone  a  pail  if  he  will 

only  let  it  down  into  the  floods.     Within  fifteen  minutes  of  Jacob's  well  is  the 

village  called  Sychar,  to  which  the  disciples  had  gone  when  the  woman  of  Samaria 

came  to  the  well,  as  He  in  the  heat  of  twelve  o'clock  at  noon  asked  to  have  His 

thirst  slaked.     The  topography  of  the  surroundings  of  this  well  and  of  other 

localities  visited  this  week,  led  me  to  say  then  what  I  feel  now  :    "  Any  man  who 

goes   through    Palestine  and   remains  an    infidel,    is   either   a    bad   man    or   an 

imbecile. ' ' 

A  Watering  Place. 

Six  o'clock  in  the  morning.  L,ast  night  I  heard  a  hyena.  Its  voice  is  a 
loud,  resounding,  terrific,  almost  supernatural  sound,  splitting  up  the  darkness 
into  a  deeper  midnight.  Beginning  with  a  howl  and  ending  with  a  sound  some- 
thing like  a  horse's  whinnying.  Here  we  are,  squat  by  a  fire,  under  the  star- 
light with  two  Arabs,  I  knowing  as  much  of  Arabic  as  they  of  English,  namely, 
nothing.  Skies  above  the  mountains  of  Samaria  crimsoning  with  the  morning, 
A  few  hours  pass  and  we  come  to  the  well  of  Dothan,  mentioned  in  Bible  story. 
Cattle,  donkeys,  camels  at  the  well.  Women  with  pitchers  on  their  heads  or 
lowering  their  vessels  to  have  them  filled.  Men  with  pails  attached  to  strings 
struggling  in  pleasantry.  The  water  plashing  over  the  stones,  while  caravans 
of  camels  just  arrived  wearily  lie  down  with  a  grunt  and  wait  their  turn  for  water. 
In  the  trough  girding  the  well  the  mouths  of  beasts  are  thrust  thirstily.  There 
is  Rachel  watering  the  camels.  There  are  young  men  and  maidens  looking  at 
each  other  roughly  bewitching.  There  are  herdsmen  angry  with  each  other  and 
ready  to  strike,  and  looking  daggers  because  some  other  camel,  or  cow,  or  calf, 
or  donkey,  than  their  own,  has  won  precedence  at  the  trough. 

A  Plague  of  Dogs. 

On  the  following  night  we  encamped  where  I,  for  the  first  time,  understood 
why  the  Bible  writers  have  such  dislike  for  dogs.  The  dogs  of  Palestine  are  an 
idiosyncratic  race  of  curs.  I  am  fond  of  dogs  and  like  to  pet  them,  but  upon 
these  I  could  not  think  of  bestowing  a  friendly  pat  of  the  hand  or  an  inviting 
whistle.  First  of  all,  they  seem  afflicted  with  parasites.  They  carry  abottt  with 
them  insectile  colonies.  These  unseen  invaders,  without  right  of  lease  or  any 
kind  of  permission,   make  the  poor  dog  a  plateau  for  perpetual  residence,  and 


MOUiiRN  WOMEN  OK  SAMARIA.— Ffoui  a  sketcli  by  Bida. 


(73) 


74  FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

though  the  canine  serves  on  them  writ  of  ejectment  they  will  not  go.  They 
fear  neither  bite  nor  growl  nor  scratch.  They  have  made  up  their  mind  that  the 
dog  owes  them  a  living.  They  enjoy  his  perturbation.  They  ask  him  what  he 
intends  to  do  about  it.  They  particularly  delight  in  ensconcing  themselves  where 
neither  his  tooth  nor  nail  can  touch  them.  They  seem  to  have  measured  the 
distance  and  secured  the  exact  spot.  They  play  hide  and  seek  with  his  nose. 
To  take  revenge  for  their  tormentors  these  Arab  dogs  make  the  night  hideous.  I 
am  writing  this  at  midnight,  because  they  will  not  let  me  sleep.  Near  my  tent  a 
dog  began  with  a  deep  bass  and  that  waked  up  a  whole  choir  of  voices  on  all 
keys.  They  let  off  whole  volleys  of  racket.  One  would  think  that  they  would 
get  hoarse  or  exhausted.  But,  no  ;  when  they  "stop  it  seems  that  the  music 
required  that  they  rest  a  few  notes.  But  they  come  in  a  little  further  on,  no  more 
tired  than  a  cornet  that  is  being  shaken  and  wiped  while  the  performer  is  waiting 
for  his  next  turn.  But  now  they  all  come  in  together.  This  is  the  full  band. 
This  must  be  the  chorus,  voices  deep,  voices  shrill,  voices  snappy,  voices  a-growl, 
voices  defiant.  Only  those  can  fully  appreciate  my  meaning  who  have  encamped 
for  the  night  in  the  outskirts  of  a  Palestine  village. 

Next  day  we  arrived  at  Gideon's  Fountain,  where  the  men  lapped  the  water 
as  they  crossed.  Out  of  an  archway  of  rock  the  water  bubbles.  Yonder  is 
Mount  Gilboa,  where  Saul  and  his  two  sons  died.  This  is  the  valley  of  Jezreel, 
through  which  Jehu  drove  furiously.  To-day  we  are  in  sight  of  Mount  Carmel. 
It  looks  like  rain,  after  a  drought;  clouds  larger  than  a  man's  hand  drifting 
across  the  top  of  Carmel.  From  a  great  height  the  mountain,  first  precipitately, 
then  gradually,  declines  into  the  Mediterranean  Sea. 

At  the  Sepulchre. 

As  our  caravan  moved  on  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  through  a  village, 
we  saw  about  fifty  women,  dressed  mostly  in  black,  on  their  way  out  of  a  grave- 
yard ;  others  were  still  seated  by  the  graves  and  were  crying,  ' '  Oh  my  mother  f 
Oh  my  husband  !  Oh  my  child  !  Oh  my  father."  Our  dragoman  informed  us 
that  this  was  the  continuance  of  a  very  old  custom.  The  bereft  women  go  at 
day-dawn  to  the  grave,  three  mornings  after  a  burial,  and  after  that  every  week 
for  a  year.  "  There  it  is,"  .1  said.  "Turn  over  and  read  in  L,uke  and  John, 
'  Very  early  in  the  morning  they  came  unto  the  sepulchre.'  " 

To-day  at  noon,  I  said  to  our  dragoman,  "What  is  that?"  pointing  to  an 
old  square  building  in  the  distance.  He  replied,  "That  is  a  kh^n."  Delighted 
was  I  to  have  an  opportunity  of  seeing  the  kind  of  building  in  which  Christ  was 
born.  We  rode  in  under  the  arched  entrance  and  dismounted.  We  found  the 
building  of  stone,  and  around  an  open  square,  without  roof.  The  building  is 
more  than  two  thousand  years  old.     It  is  two  stories  high.     In  the  centre  are 


FROM    MANGER  TO  THRONE. 


75 


camels,  horses  and  mules.  Caravans  halt  here  for  the  night  or  during  a  long, 
storm.  The  open  square  is  large  enough  to  accommodate  a  whole  herd  of  cattle,, 
a  flock  of  sheep  or  caravan  of  camels.  The  neighboring  Bedouins  here  find 
market  for  their  hay,  straw  and  meats.  Off  from  this  centre,  occupied  by  beasts- 
of  burden,  there  are  twelve  rooms  for  human  habitation.  The  only  light  is- 
from  the  door.  I  went  into  one  of  these  rooms  and  found  a  woman  cooking  the 
evening  meal.      There  were  six  cows  in  the  same  room.     On  a  little  elevation 


ANCIENT  RAMLEH  AS  IT  APPEARS  TO-DAY. — From  Tilt'  Christian  Herald. 

there  was  some  straw,  where  the  people  sat  and  slept  when  they  wished  to  rest. 
It  was  in  such  a  room  as  that  our  Eord  was  born. 

Memorable  Spots. 

Now  we  are  at  Nazareth,  the  place  of  the  Saviour's  boyhood.  We  came 
along  the  very  road  that  Christ  took  when  he  returned  from  Jerusalem  after  his- 
inter\Mew  with  the  Doctors  of  the  Law.  Through  the  \'alley  of  Esdraelon,  the 
battle-field  of  nations  ;  and  by  round-topped,  beautiful  Tabor,  from  the  edge  of 
which  Deborah  signaled  Barak  to  open  the  battle  ;  and  near  awful  Megiddo,  and 
across  plains  where  nine  hundred  iron  chariots  rolled  their  lacerations  and 
crushings  ;  and  within  sight  of  where  Sisera  forsook  the  chariot  and  afoot  fled 


76  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

until  Jael  nailed  him  ;  and  within  sight  of  where  "the  only  son  of  his  mother" 
was  resurrected  ;  (and  I  know  if  the  Eord  could  aftbrd  to  make  a  Resurrection 
Day  for  one  young  man,  he  can  afford  to  make  a  Resurrection  Day  for  all  our 
dead) ;  the  same  road  in  sight  of  Endor,  where  Saul  went  in  the  night  to  consult 
the  witch  and  came  to  no  good,  as  those  who  consult  witches  never  do  ;  and  then 
the  road  comes  to  the  foot  of  Mount  Nazareth,  not  ascending  by  the  steep  and 
jagged  path  which  Christ  ascended,  but  by  a  new  way  which  modern  engineering 
has  built,  and  we  go  zigzagging  up  the  heights,  steep  above  steep,  until  we  seem 
to  hover  over  Nazareth,  a  village  of  such  overpowering  interest  that  all  the  world 
has  seen  or  wishes  to  see  it. 

How  the  Omnipotent  has  scooped  out  these  -valleys  and  molded  these  hills 
•on  which  and  through  which  Jesus,  the  lad,  walked,  sometimes  with  his  father, 
sometimes  with  his  mother,  sometimes  with  village  contemporaries,  and  sometimes 
alone.  We  halt  at  the  very  fountain  where  Joseph  and  Mary  and  ChrisL  used  to 
fill  the  goat-skins.  We  stop  for  the  night  at  a  Russian  convent,  and  for  the  first 
time  in  many  nights,  have  a  pillow  in-doors.  Before  dark  I  open  my  Bible  and 
within  sight  of  the  hills  to  which  the  young  Christ  so  often  looked  up,  while  they 
looked  down,  I  read  the  story  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  which  appears  so  vivid  and 
strange  and  new,  it  seems  as  if  I  had  never  read  it  before. 

Jesus  Afoot. 

In  traveling  along  the  roads  of  Palestine,  I  am  impressed  as  I  could  not  other- 
wise have  been  with  the  fact  that  Christ,  for  the  most  part,  went  afoot.  We  find 
Him  occasionally  on  a  boat,  and  once  riding  in  a  triumphal  procession,  as  it  is 
sometimes  called,  although  it  seems  to  me  that  the  hosannas  of  the  crowd  could 
not  have  made  a  ride  on  a  stubborn,  unimpressive  and  funny  creature  like  that 
which  pattered  with  Him  into  Jerusalem  very  much  of  a  triumph.  But  we  are 
made  to  understand  that  generally  He  walked.  How  much  that  means  only  those 
know  who  have  gone  over  the  distances  traversed  by  Christ.  We  are  accustomed 
to  read  that  Bethany  is  two  miles  from  Jerusalem.  Well,  any  man  in  ordinary 
health  can  walk  two  miles  without  fatigue,  but  not  more  than  one  man  out  of  a 
thousand  can  walk  from  Bethany  to  Jerusalem  without  exhaustion.  It  is  over  the 
Mount  of  Olives,  and  you  must  climb  up  among  the  rolling  stones,  and  descend 
where  exertion  is  necessary  to  keep  j^ou  from  falling  prostrate.  I,  who  am  accus- 
tomed to  walk  ten  or  twelve  miles  without  lassitude,  tried  part  of  this  road  over 
the  Mount  of  Olives,  and  confess  I  would  not  want  to  try  it  often,  such  demand 
does  it  make  upon  one's  physical  energies.  Yet  Christ  walked  it  twice  a  day,  in 
the  morning  from  Bethany  to  Jerusalem,  and  in  the  evening  from  Jerusalem  to 
Bethany.  Likewise  it  seems  a  small  thing  that  Christ  walked  from  Nazareth  to 
Jerusalem,  but  it  takes  us  four  days  of  hard  horseback  riding,  sometimes  on  a  trot 


FROxM    MANGKR   TO   THRONE. 


77 


and  sometimes  on  a  gallop,  to  do  it  this  week.  The  way  is  mountainous  in  the 
extreme.  To  those  who  went  up  to  the  "  Tip  Top  House,"  on  Mount  Washing- 
ton, before  the  railroad  was  laid,  I  will  say  that  this  journey  from  Nazareth  to 


r  .1       1      1, 
pletOQ  &,  Co. 


Jerusalem  is  like  seven  such  American  journeys.     So,  all  up  and  down  and  across 
and  recrossing  Palestine,  Jesus  walked.     Herod  rode.     Ahab  rode.     Saladin  rode. 


78  FROM    MANGER  TO  THRONE. 

Solomon   rode.     Antony  rode.     But    Jesus  walked.     With  swollen  ankles,  and 

sore  muscles  of  the  legs,  and  bruised  heel    and  stiff  joints,  and  panting  lungs 

and   faint   head,  along  the  roads  and   where   there  were  no  roads  at   all,  Jesus 

walked. 

Cana  and  Mount  of  the  Beatitudes. 

Now  we  are  waiting  for  orders  to  mount  for  Cana  of  Galilee.  We  find  in  the 
village  at  a  Greek  convent  some  of  the  water-pots,  or  specimens  of  the  same  kind, 
that  were  used  at  the  famous  wedding  where  Christ  turned  the  contents  of  them 
from  common  water  into  grape  juice.  We  were  surprised  at  the  size  of  these 
water-jars.  I  measured  them  and  found  them  eighteen  inches  in  width  from  edge 
to  edge,  and  nineteen  inches  in  depth.  What  a  bountiful  and  strange  vintage  at 
that  wedding.  Not  a  grape,  not  a  wine  press,  yet  six  of  these  great  jars  filled 
with  a  beverage  richer  than  Malaga,  and  yet  so  harmless  that  after  all  the  wedding 
banqueters  had  partaken  till  they  could  drink  no  more,  there  was  in  all  the  festal 
hall,  not  a  flushed  cheek,  nor  a  glassy  eye,  nor  a  dizzy  head,  nor  a  disturbed 
stomach.  But  let  not  the  modern  guzzler  pat  himself  approvingly  as  though  he 
were,  in  drinking  wine,  doing  only  what  the  lyord  helped  the  people  of  Cana  to 
do.  There  is  not  one  drop  of  that  kind  of  wine  in  any  of  the  flasks,  decanters, 
or  rum  jugs  of  the  present  day.  Christ,  by  a  glorious  miracle,  turned  water  into 
wine,  but  the  devil  by  infernal  miracle  turns  wine  into  suicide,  and  poverty,  and 
assassination,  and  orphanage,  and  woe,  and  death.     Take  your  choice  of  miracles. 

The  most  fearful  climb  in  Palestine  is  the  ascent  of  the  Mount  of  Beatitudes. 
The  horses  fairly  groan  with  the  effort  of  transporting  one  up  the  first  mountain, 
which  is  only  a  stepping-stone  to  the  Mountain  of  Blesseds.  Then  we  ride  across 
fields  where  every  step  seems  a  trap  for  the  feet  of  the  horses.  They  stumble  with 
their  fore  feet,  and  knuckle  with  their  back  feet,  until  it  is  only  by  a  stout  grip  of 
mane  or  saddle  we  stay  on.  But  oh,  what  a  sweep  of  vision,  now  that  we  have 
reached  the  top.  It  is  like  the  Valley  of  the  Hudson,  from  Catskill  Mountain 
House.  I  am  entranced.  Hail,  hills  of  Galilee  !  Hail,  Lake  Gennesareth ! 
Yonder,  clear  up  and  most  conspicuous,  is  Safed,  the  very  city  to  which  Christ 
pointed  for  illustration  in  the  sermon  preached  here,  saying,  ' '  A  city  set  on  a  hill 
cannot  be  hid. ' '  There  are  rocks  around  me  on  this  Mount  of  Beatitudes  enough 
to  build  the  highest  pulpit  the  world  ever  saw.  Ay,  it  is  the  highest  pulpit.  It 
overlooks  all  time  and  all  eternity.  The  Valley  of  Hattin,  between  here  and  Lake 
Galilee,  is  an  amphitheatre,  as  though  the  natural  contour  of  the  earth  had  invited 
all  nations  to  come  and  sit  down  and  hear  Christ  preach  a  sermon  in  which  there 
were  more  startling  novelties  than  were  ever  announced  in  all  the  sermons  that 
were  ever  preached.  To  those  who  heard  Him  on  this  very  spot,  His  word  must 
have  seemed  a  contradiction  of  everything  they  had  ever  heard  or  read  or  experi- 
euced.     The  world's  theory  had  been,  "  Blessed  are  the  arrogant ;  blessed  are  the 


(79) 


8o 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


supercilious  ;  blessed  are  the  tearless  ;  blessed  are  they  who  have  everything  their 
own  way  ;  blessed  are  the  war  eagles  ;  blessed  are  the  persecutors  ;  blessed  are  the 
popular  ;  blessed  are  the  Herods  and  the  Caesars  and  the  Ahabs."  "  No  !  No  !! 
No  !!!  "  says  Christ,  with  a  voice  that  rings  over  these  rocks  and  through  yonder 
Valley  of  Hattin,  and  down  to  the  opaline  lake  on  one  side,  and  the  sapphire 
Mediterranean  on  the  other,  and  across  Europe  in  one  way,  and  across  Asia  in  the 
other  way,  and  around  the  earth  both  ways,  till  the  globe  shall  yet  be  girdled 
with  the  nine  Beatitudes.  But  as  we  were  climbing  to  the  top,  I  could  not  help 
remarking  to  the  one  who  rode  next  to  me,  "  It  is  appropriate  that  the  ascent  to  the 

Mount  of  the  Saviour's  Blesseds  should 
be  difficult,  for  some  of  the  attain- 
ments commended  there  by  our  Eord 
are  heights  most  difficult  to  reach. 
For  instance  :  Who  really  loves  his 
enemies?  We  may  not  wish  them 
harm,  indeed,  3^ou  may  wish  them 
well.  But  there  are  not  many  who 
have  a  real  affection  for  those  who 
maltreat  them.  I  never,  personally, 
knew  of  but  one  person  who,  with- 
out doubt,  gained  the  glorious  height. 
That  was  David  T.  Talmage,  my 
father.  More  like  Christ  was  he  than 
any  person  I  ever  knew,  unless  it 
were  my  mother.  Dead,  a  quarter 
of  a  centur>%  j-et  their  example  is  to 
me  pillar  of  cloud  b}-  day  and  pillar 
of  fire  by  night.  But  such  characters 
are  not  frequent.  Eoving  your  ene- 
mies is  a  grace  not  easily  attained.  Was  I  not  right  in  saying  to  our  drago- 
man, "  David,  the  Mount  of  Beatitudes  is  hard  to  climb." 

^  A  Funeral  in  the  Holy  Land. 

We  saw  to-day  a  procession,  mostly  dressed  in  black,  approaching.  Soon 
we  heard  the  wailing  of  many  women.  It  was  a  sad  moaning  outcry.  They 
followed  an  ornamented  box  which  contained  the  dead  body  of  a  girl.  At  the 
front  of  the  box  was  a  pole  on  which  was  a  sort  of  cap  with  locks  of  the  hair  of 
the  deceased  floating  from  beneath  it.  On  the  same  covered  pole  were  some 
adornments  which  I  imagine  had  been  worn  by  the  deceased  during  her  lifetime. 
The  box  was  on  the  shoulders  of  four  men.     The  procession  of  weeping  women 


EASTERN   BIER  AND   COFFIN. 


(8i) 


82  FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

was  led  by  one  whom  I  supposed  to  the  mother  of  the  dead  child.  She  had  in 
her  hands  a  narrow  piece  of  blue  cloth  about  a  yard  long,  which  she  lifted  into 
the  air,  now  by  one  hand  and  now  by  the  other,  and  as  if  in  effort  to  break  it  and 
no  doubt  carrying  out  the  oriental  custom  of  rending  in  grief.  I  thought  I  could 
see  her  sorrow  was  genuine,  and  it  was  the  real  mother  bewailing  her  dead,  and 
so  no  doubt  there  was  as  much  heart-break  in  the  lamentation  as  there  is  when 
an  American  mother  bemoans  her  childlessness.  There  may  also  have  been  other 
relatives  in  the  throng  who  were  agonized.  But  the  most  of  the  crowd  seemed  to 
dramatize  bereavement,  and  careful  inspection  discovered  the  tearless  eyes,  and 
that  they  were  enacting  something  that  seemed  called  for  by  the  proprieties  of  the 
occasion.  The  corpse  was  carried  into  a  sacred  enclosure,  and  two  or  three  men 
went  through  genuflexions  which  meant  no  doubt  much  to  them  but  nothing  to 
us  ;  meanwhile  the  women  of  the  procession  sat  down  at  the  distance  of  a  city 
block  away  from  the  enclosure,  but  the  men  sat  nearer  by.  Then  the  box  with 
the  floating  tresses  of  the  departed  girl  was  brought  out  and  the  procession  resumed 
its  march  to  the  grave  and  the  wild  and  bitter  cry  again  ascended.  I  followed  to 
the  gates  of  the  cemetery  and  was  passing  in,  when  my  friend  called  attention  to 
the  fact  that  we  had  no  right  to  enter.  Some  twenty  of  the  women  were,  by 
angry  voice  and  violent  gesticulation,  forbidding  our  going  in.  They  evidently 
discovered  that  we  were  strangers  and  of  another  nationality  and  religion,  and 
our  intrusion  would  be  a  sacrilege.  So  we  halted,  but  we  had  seen  for  the  first 
time  the  type  of  an  oriental  burial.  It  was  to  us  a  deeply  sad  and  solemn  spec- 
tacle. No  element  of  the  ludicrous  disturbed  our  minds  as  others  have  sometimes 
been  impressed.  While  the  grief  of  the  mother  stirred  our  sympathies,  the  affec- 
tation of  sorrow  by  others  was  only  what  we  have  witnessed  in  civilized  lands, 
where  sometimes  a  long  row  of  carriages  and  a  profusion  of  crape  and  costly  silver 
handles  to  a  casket  mean  nothing  except  that  the  funeral  must  be  fashionable, 
although  perhaps  the  most  of  the  people  in  the  procession  are  glad  the  old  man  is 
at  last  dead,  for  now  there  will  be  a  distribution  of  his  property. 

Lake  Galilee. 

After  having  had  on  our  breakfast-table  fish  from  Galilee,  like  that  which 
Christ  gave  broiled  to  his  disciples  after  their  night  of  ' '  poor  luck  ' '  in  fishing, 
I  spread  my  overcoat  on  the  snow-white  pebbles  of  the  lake  and  began  to  read  the 
Poems  of  the  Evangelists,  descriptive  of  what  took  place  on  or  near  these  waters, 
more  sacred  than  any  that  ever  gleamed  in  any  other  bowl,  whether  of  Divine  or 
human  sculpturing.  A  sail  boat  glides  near,  but  as  there  is  no  wind,  the  sails 
are  down  and  the  oars  propel  the  prow  through  the  splattering  crystal.  Again 
Christ  walks  this  lake,  and  He  comes  to  me  in  a  feeling  of  peace  which  He  only 
can  breathe  into  the  soul.     We  can  understand  now  how  high  winds  can  lift  this 


FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


83 


lake.  The  canons,  as  they  are  called  in  Colorado,  or  the  wadys  as  they  are  called 
in  Palestine,  are  invitations  to  hurricanes.  East  night,  from  a  calm  that  moved 
not  a  tassel  of  our  tent,  in  one  minute  there  rushed  by  a  wind  that  tested  every 
rope  and  pole  of  our  encampment  to  the  utmost,  and  blew  away  from  the  front  of 
our  tent,  not  only  the  coals  of  our  bonfire,  but  the  ashes  and  the  wood,  and  caused 
a  fright  of  some  of  our  group  which  called  the  dragoman,  who  prophesied  that  in 


C.KOf  P    wK    MuIjKkN    GaI.II.KANS. 


twenty  minutes  it  would  be  over,  and  sure  enough  in   about  that  time  there  was 
not  enough  atmospheric  motion  to  flutter  a  feather. 

We  are  camped  near  the  village  of  Tiberias.  Many  of  the  Lives  of  Clirist 
say  that  Christ  was  never  here.  The  Bible  does  not  say  He  ever  visited  Tiberias, 
but  it  says  :  "Jesus  went  about  all  the  cities  and  villages,  "  and  I  have  no  doubt 
He  visited  this  city,  which  was  second  to  none  in  importance.  Some  authors  say 
Christ  did  not  come  to  Tiberias  because  it  was  populated  by  a  ver>'  degraded 
people.     This  was  the  very  reason  that  would  have  brought  Him  here  ;  the  worse 


84  FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONE. 

the  disease,  the  more  need  of  a  doctor.  Yes,  Christ  was  here  !  What  more  can 
God  in  His  goodness  grant  me  in  the  way  of  natural  scenery  and  religious  oppor- 
tunity than  that  I  should  see  this  lake  ?  I  have  walked  its  banks,  read  the  Book 
of  Luke  in  its  presence,  worshiped  a  whole  Sabbath  at  its  crystal  altars,  bathed 
in  its  depths,  letting  the  sacred  floods  roll  over  me,  and  to-morrow  will  sail  on  its 
surface.  When  I  first  thought  of  coming  to  Palestine,  I  went  to  the  Tourist 
Company  in  New  York  and,  unrolling  the  map  of  the  Holy  Land,  I  took  my 
pencil  and  made  on  it  two  circles,  saying,  ' '  I  may  not  have  time  to  see  all  the 
Holy  Land,  but  those  two  regions  I  must  see."  One  circle  was  swept  around 
Jerusalem  and  its  approximates,  the  other  circle  around  Lake  Galilee  and  its 
approximates.     I  thank  God  that  I  have  compassed  what  I  came  for  and  much 

beside. 

A  Ride  on  the  Lake,  and  a  Storm. 

Now,  on  Monday  morning,  I  am  in  a  boat  on  Lake  Galilee.  One  sail  up 
and  four  oars  plying.  It  has  been  raining  in  the  night  and  a  fog  hangs  over  the 
waters,  but  the  fine  lace  veil  of  the  morning  mist  is  lifted  and  the  Gadarene  shore 
on  one  side  and  the  Tiberias  Hills  on  the  other  are  coming  to  revelation  and  look 
like  the  banks  of  the  Hudson  in  late  September,  after  the  frosts  have .  put  their 
diligent  and  skillful  pencil  upon  the  foliage.  Yes,  on  the  right  hand  side  are  the 
very  hills  down  which  the  swine  ran  when  possessed  of  the  devil.  You  see  that 
Satan  is  a  spirit  of  bad  taste.  Why  did  he  not  say,  ' '  Let  me  go  into  these  birds," 
whole  flocks  of  which  fly  over  Galilee  ?  No,  that  would  have  been  too  high. 
* '  Why  not  let  me  go  into  the  sheep  which  wander  over  these  hills  ? ' '  No,  that 
would  have  been  too  gentle.  ' '  Rather  let  me  go  into  these  swine.  I  want  to  be 
with  the  denizens  of  the  mire.  I  want  to  associate  with  the  inhabitants  of  the 
filth.  Great  is  mud.  I  prefer  bristles  to  wings.  I  would  rather  root  than  fly. 
I  like  snout  better  than  wing. ' ' 

But  the  most  of  the  memories  of  this  sheet  of  water  and  its  surroundings  are 
elevating.  What  a  sedative  to  Christ  must  have  been  a  look  at  this  lake  after  the 
hard  religious  work  of  the  day.  The  air  off  the  waters  cooled  His  hot  brow.  Up 
and  down  these  banks  our  Lord  walked,  and  the  best  society  He  ever  had  was 
when  He  was  alone  with  the  mountains  and  the  sea.  But  suddenly,  this  Monday 
morning,  the  winds  rise,  and  our  boat  begins  to  rock.  Never  before  in  any 
waters  have  I  seen  such  a  change  in  five  minutes.  The  oarsmen  toil  hard  at  their 
places.  Fortunately  we  are  near  our  landing  at  Capernaum.  If  the  winds  and  the 
waves  increase  for  the  next  half  hour  as  they  have  in  the  last  ten  niinutes,  and  we 
were  still  out,  our  craft  would  be  unmanageable  and  we  would  have  to  cry  as  did 
the  disciples  on  the  same  lake,  "Lord,  save,  or  we  perish."  While  our  boat  is 
thumping  on  the  rocks,  some  of  our  oarsmen  plunge  waist  deep  in  the  water  and  carry 
ashore  those  of  our  party  who  do  not  wish  to  wade.     All  is  well.     Peace,  be  still. 


FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONE. 


85 


Few  people  see  the  ruins  of  Capernaum  to  advantage,  for  in  spring  and 
summer  tall  weeds  cover  the  entire  place,  and  snakes,  undisturbed,  crawl  over  the 
beautiful  sculpturing  of  the  fallen  architecture.  But  now  the  old  city  has  its 
gloves  off  and  gives  us  its  bare  hand  as  we  approach  it.  We  climb  over  the  stones 
of  the  synagogue  where  Christ  preached  oftener  than  in  any  other  building  and 
which  might  have  been  called  the  scene  of  His  pastorate.     There,  on  one  of  the 


RURAI,  SCENERY  OK  GALILEE. 

fallen  walls,  I  saw  the  ancient  sculpturing,  representing  a  pot  01  manna,  to  which 

the  people  may  have  pointed  when   they  said  to   Christ,  "Our  fathers  did  eat 

manna  in  the  desert,"  and  Christ  replied,  "  My  Father  giveth  you  the  true  bread 

iroii^  heaven." 

The  Mount  of  Transfiguration. 

We  are  ending  our  Palestine  journey.     We  will,  in  a  few  hours,  pass  into 
Syria  and  to  Damascus,  and  then   to   Bevrout,  and  so  homeward.     Two  more 


86  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

nights  in  tent.  We  have  had  all  the  conveniences  and  comforts  of  the  most 
improved  modern  travel.  Every  evening  in  the  long  march  we  have  found  lires 
builded,  tents  spread  and  warm  food  ready,  for  the  reason  that  most  of  our  caravan 
starts  an  hour  and  a  half  earlier  in  the  morning.  We  detain  only  two  mules  for 
carrying  so  much  of  our  baggage  as  we  might  incidentally  need,  and  a  tent  for  a 
noonday  luncheon.  We  are  encamped  now  by  Lake  Meroni,  in  proximity  to 
which  Joshua  fought  his  last  great  battle,  scattering  the  allied  kings  in  such  utter 
rout  as  only  an  army  experiences  when  the  I^ord  comes  down  in  all  His  might 
against  them.  This  is  the  place  where  the  horses  were  hamstrung.  Mount 
Hermon  is  in  sight,  on  its  brow  a  crystal  coronet  of  ice  and  snow,  for  it  is  winter 
now.  But  in  April  these  snows  will  melt  and  the  dew  will  take  its  place.  "As 
the  dew  of  Hermon  and  as  the  dew  that  descended  upon  the  mountains  of  Zion, 
for  there  the  Lord  commanded  the  blessing,  even  life  for  ever  more."  This  Her- 
mon was  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration  then,  and  to-day,  by  the  bright  clouds  and 
a  rainbow  hovering,  it  is  again,  in  its  beauty  and  glory  and  almost  supernatural 
radiance,  a  Mount  of  Transfiguration. 

A  Blizzard. 

This  is  our  last  day  in  Palestine,  Farewell  to  its  mountains,  its  lakes,  its 
valleys.  I  feel  myself  worn  with  the  emotions  of  this  journey  in  the  Holy  Land. 
One  cannot  live  over  the  most  exciting  scenes  of  eighteen  hundred  or  four  thou- 
sand years,  without  feeling  the  result  in  every  nerve  of  his  body.  Beside  that,  it 
is  a  very  arduous  journey.  Six  and  seven  hours  of  horseback  in  a  country  which 
is  one  great  rock,  split  and  shattered  and  ground  into  fragments,  some  of  them  as 
large  as  a  mountain  and  some  of  them  as  small  as  the  sand  of  the  sea.  This  after- 
noon we  are  caught  in  a  tempest  that  drenches  the  mountain.  One  of  the  horses 
falls  and  we  halt  amid  blinding  rain;  It  is  freezing  cold.  Fingers  and  feet  like 
ice.  Two  hours  and  three-quarters  before  encampment.  We  ride  on  in  silence, 
longing  for  the  terminus  of  to-day's  pilgrimage.  It  is,  through  the  awful  inclem- 
ency of  the  weather,  the  only  dangerous  day  of  the  journey.  Slip  and  slide  and 
stumble  and  climb  and  descend  we  must ;  sometimes  on  the  horse  and  sometimes 
off,  until  at  last  we  halt  at  a  hovel  of  the  village,  and  instead  of  entering  camp  for 
the  night,  are  glad  to  find  this  retreat  from  the  storm.  It  is  a  house  of  one  story, 
built  out  of  mud.  A  feeble  fire  in  mid-floor,  but  no  chimne3^  It  is  the  best 
house  in  the  village.  Arabs,  old  and  young,  stand  round  in  wonderment  as  to 
why  we  come.  There  is  no  window  in  the  room  where  I  write,. but  two  little 
openings,  one  over  the  door  and  the  other  in  the  wall,  through  which  latter  (^ut- 
look  I  occasionally  find  an  Arab  face  thrust  to  see  how  I  am  progressing.  But 
the  door  is  open  and  so  I  have  light.  This  is  an  afternoon  and  a  night  never  to 
be  forgotten  for  its  exposures  and  acquaintance  with  the  hardships  of  what  an 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


87 


Arab  considers  a  luxurious  apartment.  We  have  passed  from  Palestine  to  Syiia, 
and  are  spending  the  last  night  out  before  reaching  Damascus.  To-morrow  we 
shall  have  a  forced  march  and  do  two  days  in  one,  and  by  ha\'ing  carriages  sent 
some  twenty  miles  out  to  meet  us,  we  shall  be  able  to  leave  stirrup  and  saddle, 
and  by  accelerated  mode  reach  Damascus  at  six  or  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening. 
Let  only  tho.se  in  robust  health  attempt  to  take  the  length  of  Palestine  on  horse- 
back.    I  do  not  think  that  it  is  because  of  the  unhealthiness  of  the  climate  in  the 


ROAD    BKTWKKN  JKRUSALKM    AND  JICRICHO    AS    IT    APPKARS   AT   THK    PRICSHNT   DAY. 

Holy  Land  that  so  many  have  sickened  and  died  while  here,  or  afterwards,  but 
because  of  the  fatigues.  The  number  of  miles  gives  no  indication  of  the  exhaus- 
tions of  the  way.  A  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  Palestine  and  Syria  on  horseback 
demand  as  much  physical  strength  as  four  hundred  miles  on  horseback  in  regions 
of  easy  travel.  I  am  to-night  in  good  health  notwithstanding  the  terrible  journey  ; 
and  seated  by  a  fire,  the  smoke  of  which,  finding  no  appropriate  place  of  escape, 


88  FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

takes  lodgment  in  my  nostrils  and  eyes.  For  the  first  time  in  my  life  I  realize 
that  chimneys  are  a  luxurj^  but  not  a  necessity.  The  only  adornments  in  this 
room  are  representations  of  two  tree  branches  in  the  mud  of  the  wall,  a  circle  sup- 
posed to  mean  a  star,  a  bottle  hung  from  the  ceiling,  and  about  twelve  indentations 
in  the  wall,  to  be  used  as  mantels,  for  anything  that  may  be  placed  there.  This 
storm  is  not  a  surprise,  for  through  pessimistic  prophets  we  have  expected  that  at 
this  season  we  should  have  rain  and  snow  and  hail  throughout  our  journey. 

For  the  most  part  it  has  been  a  bright  and  tonic  atmosphere,  and  not  a 
moment  has  our  journey  been  hindered.  Gratitude  to  God  is  to-night  the 
prominent  emotion.      "Bless   the  I^ord,  O  our  souls,  who  redeemeth  our  lives 

from  destruction." 

On  the  Way  to  Damascus. 

During  the  night  the  storm  ceased  and  the  next  morning  we  rose  at  five 
o'clock,  and  at  six  o'clock  were  in  the  insufiicient  light  feeling  for  the  stirrups  of 
our  saddles.  We  are  on  the  road  to  Damascus.  Before  night  we  will  pass  the 
place  were  Saul  was  unhorsed  at  the  flash  of  the  supernal  light,  and  will  enter 
that  city,  the  mere  name  of  which  is  full  of  suggestiveness,  solemnity  and  his- 
torical agitation.  We  do  not  want  on  the  journey  to  be  flung  to  the  earth,  but 
oh,  for  some  great  spiritual  blessing,  brighter  than  any  noonday  sun,  and  a  new 
preparation  for  usefulness  ! 

At  six  o'clock  this  evening  we  arrive  at  Damascus.  The  long  horseback  ride 
through  Palestine  is  ended.  A  carriage  met  us  twenty  miles  out  and  brought  us 
to  the  city.  The  impressions  one  receives  as  he  rides  along  the  walled  gardens  of 
the  place  are  different  from  those  produced  by  any  other  city.  To-morrow  we  will 
explore  and  see  for  ourselves  the  place  about  which  we  have  heard  and  read  so 
much,  the  oldest  cit)'  under  the  sun. 

Our  first  night  past  in  Damascus,  we  were  up  early  and  abroad,  and  afl;er 
some  days  of  tarrying  here,  feel  that  we  have  seen  Damascus,  the  "  street  called 
Straight,"  along  which  good  Ananias  went  to  meet  Saul,  the  site  of  the  palace 
of  Naaman,  the  leper,  the  river  Abana,  as  the  other  day  we  saw  Pharpar,  and  have 
from  the  northwest  of  the  city  gazed  upon  this  ancient  metropolis  that  has  had 
so  much  to  do  with  the  history  of  the  world.  The  bazaars  of  this  place  could 
entertain  us  for  weeks  and  months,  but  all  these  styles  of  articles  have  become  a 
a  part  of  American  bric-a-brac,  or  gone  into  the  furniture  and  upholster}'-  of  the 
American  parlor.  Yet  the  people  are  as  they  have  always  been.  No  change  in 
their  headwear  or  sashes,  or  baggy  and  profuse  coverings  of  their  limbs.  No  one 
can  imagine  what  Damascus  is.  Unlike  all  others  in  architecture,  in  merchandise, 
in  general  and  minute  appearance,  it  is  worth  while  to  cross  the  Atlantic  and 
Europe  to  see  it.  Though  it  has  been  a  place  of  battle  and  massacre  and  of  ancient 
affluence  and  splendor,  as  well  of  present  prosperity,  to  the  Christian  its  chief 


po  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE 

attraction  arises  from  the  fact  that  here  the  scales  fell  from  Paul's  eyes,  and  that 
chief  of  apostles  here  began  that  mission  which  will  not  end  until  heaven  is 
peopled  with  ransomed  spirits.  We  took  diligence  from  Damascus  to  Beyrout,  a 
fourteen  hours'  journey,  rain-washed,  crowded  and  uncomfortable. 

At  Beyrout. 

Christmas  we  spent  in  Beyrout,  and  I  preached  in  the  Scotch  Presbyterian 
chapel  of  that  city.  The  majority  of  the  audience  were  Syrians,  but  they  all 
understood  English,  and  a  more  attentive  people  I  never  addressed.  The  music 
was  superb,  solos,  anthems  and  congregational  singing.  I  will  never  forget  the 
kindness  of  Dr.  Bliss,  the  President  of  the  college  'and  the  illustrious  educator ; 
nor  Dr.  Jessup,  the  renowned  missionary,  and  moderator  in  1883  of  the  General 
Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States,  and  a  mighty  agent 
for  the  transference  of  the  best  of  Christian  literature  into  Arabic  ;  nor  Dr.  Post,  the 
surgeon,  the  botanist,  the  Christian  philosopher  and  prince  of  Christian  workers. 
We  diiied  at  the  hospitable  home  of  Dr.  Jessup  and  became  acquainted  with  his 
lovely  and  accomplished  family.  It  was  an  American  Christmas  dinner.  At 
four  o'clock  we 'went  on  the  steamer  Minerva  bound  for  Constantinople. 

The  next  morning  we  found  ourselves  off  the  island  of  Cyprus.     We  took  a 

boat  and  went  ashore  for  three  hours,  visited  the  excavations  from  which  Cesnola 

took  his  famous  collection  of  antiquities,  and  walked  the  strange  streets  in  which 

Paul  and  Barnabas  went  up  and  down  when  here  preaching  Christ  to  the  people. 

At  midnight  we  stopped  at  the  island  of  Rhodes,   staying  on  deck  to  catch  a 

glimpse  of  it.     The  Colossus  was  not  standing  there  to  greet  us,  for  it  long  agO' 

fell  and  was  broken  up  and  sold,  and  nine  hundred  camels  carried  it  away.     We 

were  not  permitted  to  go  ashore,  but  saw  lights  and  nine  boats  came  out  to  take 

freight  and  to  bring   three  passengers.      The  next  day  we  sailed  by  Coos.      We 

noticed  the  wonderful  consecutiveness  in  the  statement  in  Acts  xxi.     The  order 

of  scenerj^  is  accurately  observed.     We  are  going  in  the  opposite  direction  to  that 

which  Paul  traveled.     So  it  is  with  us  Syria,  Cyprus,  Rhodes,  Coos,  Ephesus  ; 

while  with  him  it  was  Ephesus,  Coos,  Rhodes,  Cyprus,  Syria.     The  record  says 

that  he  left  Cyprus  on  the  left  hand.     We,  coming  in  the  opposite  direction,  left  it 

on  the  right  hand. 

The  Isle  of  Patmos. 

We  are  approaching  Patmos,  the  island  of  vision,  where  Domitian's  prisoner 
and  exile  was  given  to  see  all  the  victories  and  all  the  woes,  and  all  the  horrors 
and  all  the  raptures  of  earth  and  heaven  going  by  him  in  a  panorama,  pleasing 
and  blistered,  and  blackened  and  illumined.  The  evangel  John  has  made  that 
island  the  most  famous  of  all  earthly  islands.  Not  Scio  in  which  Homer  lived, 
nor  Samos  the  birthplace  of  Pythagoras,  nor  Coos  in  which   Hippocrates  was- 


FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


91 


born,  nor  Rhodes  in  which  the  Colossus  stood,  nor  St.  Helena  where  Napoleon 
died,  nor  Guernsey  in  which  Victor  Hugo  was  banished,  has  been  so  famous 
either  on  earth  or  in  heaven.  Patmos  is  a  rock  sheer  down,  a  plateau  at  the  top 
reaching  to  the  foot  of  another  rock,  that  lifts  its  bare  forehead  to  great  height, 
then  a  long  line  of  rock,  sinking,  rising,  growing  more  defiant  or  subsiding  into 
valleys  in  which  there  is  no  verdure,   but  oidy  desolation   and  barrenness  are 


BEYRoxrr. 
cradled.  The  island  is  a  place  where  an  evangelist  and  other  offenders  against 
sinful  authority  might  easily  be  starv^ed.  John's  condition  suggested  no  doubt 
much  of  the  imagery  of  his  inspired  dream.  As  the  famished  are  apt  to  dream 
of  food,  John  writes  of  the  deliverance  of  the  righteous,  saying,  "They  shall 
hunger  no  more."  Plenty  of  water  but  most  of  it  salt,  the  hot  tongue  of  the 
evangelist  thought  of  the  liquid  supplies  of  heaven,  saying,  "They  shall  thirst 
no  more."     The  waves  to-day  are  in  commotion.     A  high  wind  is  blowing  the 


^2  FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

billows  of  the  Mediterranean  against  the  blufifs  of  Patnios,  and  each  wave  has  a 
voice  and  all  the  waves  together  make  a  chorus,  and  so  they  may  have  done  in 
John's  time  and  become  symbols  of  the  multitudinous  anthems  of  heaven,  and 
he  says  they  are  ' '  like  the  voice  of  many  waters. ' '  But  this  morning  the  Medit- 
erranean was  very  smooth.  The  waters  were  crystal  and  the  sunlight  seemed  to 
set  them  on  fire,  and  there  w^as  a  mingling  of  white  light  and  intense  flame,  and 
so  some  day  while  John  looked  out  from  his  cavern  home  in  yonder  hillside  he 
may  have  been  led  thereby  to  think  of  the  splendors  before  the  throne,  and  he 
speaks  of  them  as  the  "sea  of  glass  mingled  with  fire." 

On  to  Ephesus.    • 

Arriving  at  Smyrna  we  disembark  and  enter  a  rail-train  for  Ephesus.  From 
the  depot  of  that  city  we  took  horse  and  went  first  to  the  ruins  of  one  of  the 
seven  churches  of  Asia,  then  to  the  theatre,  then  to  the  gymnasium.  The 
interest  in  Ephesus  is  surpassed  by  no  other  city,  so  intensely  apostolic,  Pauline 
and  Johannian.  Imagine  our  feelings  when  we  stood  in  the  theatre  where  Paul 
"fought  with  beasts  at  Ephesus,"  for  I  suppose  he  had  such  contest  literally  as 
well  as  figurativel)^ 

Embarking  again,  the  next  place  we  went  ashore  was  at  the  island  of  Mity- 
lene.  The  Greek  consul  took  us  to  see  the  city  and  introduced  us  to  the  arch- 
bishop of  the  Greek  Church  and  the  governor  of  the  island  at  their  residences. 
We  visited  also  the  ancient  fort.  I  felt  quite  at  home  when  I  found  many  of  my 
sermons  on  the  table  of  the  consul.  We  sailed  along  by  Troas,  the  place  where 
Paul  left  his  overcoat.  This  persuades  me  that  it  was  not  at  this  season  of  the 
year  he  visited  that  place.  No  man  would  either  forget  or  leave  his  overcoat  in 
•cold,  crisp  weather  like  that  of  this  morning.  'YotL  remember  he  w^rote  ' '  The 
cloak  which  I  left  at  Troas  bring  with  thee,  and  the  books,  but  especially  the 

parchments. ' ' 

Tradition,  History  and  Fact. 

Are  the  places  that  I  see  in  Palestine  and  Syria  and  the  Mediterranean  isles 
the  genuine"  places  of  Christly,  patriarchal  and  apostolic  association  ?  Many  of 
them  are  not,  and  many  of  them  are.  We  have  no  sympathy  with  the  bedwarfing 
of  tradition.  There  are  traditions  contradicted  by  their  absurdity,  but  if  for 
several  generations  a  sensible  tradition  goes  on  in  regard  to  events  connected  with 
certain  places,  I  am  as  certain  of  the  localities  as  though  pen  and  document  had 
fixed  them.  Indeed,  sometimes  tradition  is  more  to  be  depended  on  than  written 
communication.  A  writer  may,  for  bad  purposes,  misrepresent,  misconstrue, 
misstate,  but  reasonable  traditions  concerning  places  connected  with  great  events 
are  apt  to  be  true.  I  have  no  more  doubt  concerning  the  place  on  which  Christ 
was  crucified,  or  in  which  Christ  was  buried,  than  I  have  about  the  fact  that  our 


FROM    MANGER  TO  .THRONE.  93 

Lord  was  slain   and  entombed.     13ut  suppose  traditions  contradict  each  other? 

Then  try  them,  test  them,  compare  them  as  you  do  documents.     It  is  no  more 

difficult  to  separate  traditions,  true  and  false,  than  apocryphal  books  from  inspired 

books.     Do  not  use  the  word  tradition  as  a  synonym  for  delusion.     There  is  a 

surplus  of  Christian  infidels  traveling  the  Holy  Land  who  are  from  scalp  to  heel 

surcharged  with  unbeliefs.     A  tradition  may  be  as  much  divinely  inspired  as  a 

book.     The  scenery  of  Palestine  is  interjoined,  intertwisted  and  interlocked  with 

the  Scriptural  occurrences.     The  learned  Ritter,  who  has  never  been  charged  with 

any  weakness  of  incredulity,  writes  :    "  No  one  can  trace  without  joy  and  wonder 

the  verification  which  geography  pays  to  the  history  of  the  Holy  Land." 

When  the  brilliant  Renan  went  to   Palestine  he  was  stuffed  with  enough 

incredulity  to  make  a  dozen  Thomas  Paines,    and  yet  he  gives  the  following 

experience :     ' '  The   marvelous    harmony   of    the   evangelical    picture   with   the 

countr>'  which  serves  as  its  frame,  were  to  me  a  revelation.     I  had  before  my  eyes 

a  fifth  gospel,  mutilated  but  still  legible  ;  and  ever  afterwards,  in  the  recitals  of 

Matthew  and  Mark,  instead  of  an  abstract  being  that  one  would  say  had  never 

existed,  I  saw  a  wonderful  human  figure  live  and  move."     So  said  an  unbeliever. 

In  this,  my  visit  to  Palestine,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1889-90,  I  also  find  the 

landscape  a  commentary.     The  rivers,  the  mountains,  the  valleys,  the  lakes,  the 

rocks,  the  trees,  the  costumes  of  the  Holy  Land,  agree  with  Matthew  arf3  Mark 

and  Luke  and  John.     The  geography  and  topography  are  the  background  of  the 

Gospel  pictures.     They  carry  a  different  part  of  the  same  song.     Admit  Palestine 

and  you  admit  the  New  Testament.     A  distinguished  man,  years  ago,  came  here 

and  returned,  and  wrote:    "I   went  to   Palestine  an   infidel,   and  came  home  a 

Christian."     My  testimony  will  be,  that  I  came  to  Palestine  a  firm  believer  in  the 

Bible,  and  return  a  thousand-fold  more  confirmed  in  the  Divinity  of  the  Holy 

Scriptures. 

Christ,  the  Out=door  Teacher. 

What  I  saw  of  the  Christly  and  apostolic  regions  on  this  journey  to  the- 
Orient  leads  me  to  say  that  it  was  an  open-air  religion  that  Jesus  founded. 
Indeed,  the  religion  of  the  Old  Testament  and  New  was  an  out-of-door  inauguration, 
.^oreseeing  that  the  whole  tendency  of  the  human  race  would  be  toward  a  religion 
of  Tabernacles  and  Temples  and  Synagogues  and  Churches,  the  two  greatest 
things  ever  written,  namely,  the  Ten  Commandments  and  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount,  were  delivered  in  the  open  air.  No  depreciation  of  consecrated  edifices, 
but  all  places  consecrated  where  a  good  word  is  spoken  or  a  merciful  deed  done. 
What  were  Christ's  pulpits  ?  Deck  of  ship,  pebbly  beach  of  sea,  black  basalt  of 
volcanic  region,  mouth  of  cavern,  where  mad  man  was  inideviled  ;  cr>'stallized 
wave,  strong  enough  to  uphold  the  storm-tamer  ;  split  sarcophagus,  where  death 
bad  been  undone  ;  the  wilderness,  where  a  boy  became  the  connni.ssary  or  provider 


HOUSES  BintT  UPON  THE  WALI.S  OF  DAMASCUS.* 


*This  engraving 
shows  the  manner 
in  which  houses  or 
apartments  are 
built  upon  the  walls 
of  the  city,  and 
also  the  method  of 
communication  by 
.basket  and  rope, 
the  latter  being  the 
means  by  which 
St.  Paul  escaped 
the  fury  of  his  ene- 
mies. 


(9  J) 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  95 

for  a  whole  army  of  iniprovidents.  You  see  the  world  needed  a  portable  religion, 
one  that  the  business  man  could  take  along  the  street,  the  farmer  to  the  field, 
and  the  mechanic  to  the  house-scaffolding,  and  the  soldier  in  the  long  march  and 
the  sailor  in  the  ratlines  ;  a  religion  for  the  sheaf-binding  and  the  corn-husking, 
for  the  plow,  for  the  adze,  for  the  pick-axe,  for  the  hammer.  What  a  rebuke  to 
the  man  who  worships  in  the  church  and  cheats  in  the  store,  serving  God  one 
day  of  the  week  and  the  devil  six.  On  Sunday  night  he  leaves  his  religion  in 
the  pew  and  shuts  the  pew-door,  saying  :  "  Good-bye,  Religion,  I  will  be  back 
next  Sunday."  A  religion  that  you  do  not  take  with  you  wherever  you  go  is 
not  the  open-air  religion  of  which  our  Lord  was  the  founder. 

Indeed,  I  have  found  a  new  Bible.  I  found  it  in  the  Holy  Land  and  the 
Grecian  Archipelago.  A  new  Book  of  Genesis,  since  I  saw  where  Abraham  and 
Lot  separated,  and  Joseph  was  buried.  A  new  Book  of  Exodus,  since  I  saw  where 
the  Israelites  crossed  the  desert.  A  new  Book  of  Revelation,  since  I  read  the 
Divine  message  to  Smyrna  at  Smyrna,  and  to  Ephesus  at  Ephesus.  A  new  Book 
of  John,  since  I  saw  Jacob's  well  and  Sychar  and  Samaria.  A  new  Book  of  Luke, 
since  I  read  its  twenty-third  chapter  on  the  bluff  of  Golgotha,  at  the  place  where 
there  is  room  for  but  three  crosses.  The  Bible  can  never  be  to  me  what  it  was 
It  is  fresher,  truer,  lovelier,  grander,  mightier  ! 


Z"A€_   U-:^iiZ^  ?. 


(.96) 


From 


to  Throne.... 


CHAPTER    I. 

MORNING    GI.ORIES. 

S  I  begin  the  storj'  of  Jesus,  beautiful  in  name,  transcendent  in  sub- 
ject, it  is  morning,  when  the  air  is  crisp  with  December's  frost  and  a 
merry  sparkle  is  in  the  trees,  starlighted  with  a  million  gleams 
gathered  from  the  sun  just  looking  over  the  blue  hills  of  the  East  and 
brightening  the  frozen  dew.  My  room  is  flooded  with  gilded  beams  that  build  a 
stairway  with  gentle  slope  across  the  sea  and  up  to  the  door-step  of  heaven,  where 
there  is  a  rush  of  glories  that  dazzle,  and  a  maze  of  beauties  that  bewilders,  and  a 
witchery  of  magnificence  that  confounds  the  imagination  while  thrilling  and 
throbbing  the  heart  with  adoration  and  ecstasy.  It  must  have  been  such  a  morn- 
ing that  awakened  the  Judean  hills  and  set  all  nature  to  singing,  and  the  music  of 
heaven  to  playing,  and  the  pulse  of  universal  joy  to  throbbing,  when  the  Christ 
was  born.  It  must  have  been  such  a  morning  when,  after  the  star  choristers  had 
hushed  their  acclaims,  and  the  angels  of  the  annunciation  had  left  the  startled 
shepherds  and,  on  impatient  wing,  swept  back  to  the  cradle  of  the  newly-born 
Lord,  that  the  glad  news  was  scattered  throughout  the  valleys,  and  over  the 
mounts,  and  down  the  slopes,  and  across  the  Jordan.  ' '  For  unto  you  is  born  this 
day,  in  the  City  of  David,  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord." 

The  Holy  Land. 

The  country  in  which  this  most  momentous  event  occurred  is  remarkable, 
almost  in  consonance  with  the  event  itself.  From  the  earliest  ages  it  has  been 
known  as  the  Holy  Land,  because  within  its  small  territorj'  transpired  so  many 
immensely  important  incidents  that  were  directly  controlled  by  God,  as  manifesta- 
tions of  His  care  for  His  chosen  people.  Palestine  is  a  more  recent  designation, 
derived  from  the  Hebrew  word  Pelesheth  (Philistia) ,  or  country  of  the  Philistines. 
Even  this  application  was  only  to  the  southern  and  coast  regions,  and  not  until  it 
came  under  Roman  dominion  was  the  term  Palestine  applied  to  the  whole  country, 
7  (97) 


98 


FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


as  we  now  find  it  between  Tyre,  or  Dan,  on  the  north,  and  Egypt  and  Arabia,  or 
Beersheba,  on  the  south,  a  distance  of  something  less  than  150  miles,  while  the 
mean  breadth  does  not  exceed  thirty  miles. 

Palestine  is  pre-eminently  a  land  of  hills  and  valleys,  the  most  broken  region, 
perhaps,  on  earth.  From  a  country  of  first  importance,  rivaling  Egypt,  like 
Egypt,  it  has  declined  until  Joppa  is  the  only  port  remaining,  and  even  this  does 

not  admit  vessels  of  large  size  at  all 
seasons.  Caesarea  was  the  principal 
harbor  during  Roman  occupation,  the 
chief  work  of  Herod  the  Great,  who 
made  of  it  one  of  the  most  splendid 
ports  ever  constructed,  and  named  the 
city  in  honor  of  Augustus  Caesar.  It 
was  here  the  titular  kmgs  of  Judea  had 


D  Appletou&Coi 


RUINS   OK   ANCII  NT   C  1  S\KL  \    AS    THE/   APPEAR   AT  TUh    1  K}  S}  NT   DAY 


their  seats,  and  also  the  Roman  procurators,  and  where  the  most  famous  temple, 
theatre  and  circus  were  erected  to  amuse  a  heterogeneous  populace  of  Jews, 
Romans,  Greeks,  Syrians,  Egyptians  and  other  nationalities  of  the  East  that 
flocked  to  the  city,  which  was  in  the  zenith  of  its  commercial  prosperity  during 


D.  Appleton  <& 


TUli    ClTAUHl,    OK    DAMASCUS. 


I99j 


loo  FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

the  ministry  of  Jesus.  To-day  the  site  of  Caesarea  is  marked  by  magnificent  ruins, 
the  stones  of  which  the  great  wall  was  constructed,  which  are  said  to  have  been 
fifty  feet  long  by  eighteen  feet  wide,  having  been  displaced  and  broken  up  by  the 
invading  sea,  while  of  the  great  buildings  that  distinguished  the  place  and  its 
400,000  inhabitants  not  even  the  ruins  remain. 

Ancient  Tyre  and  Sidon. 

But  long  before  the  founding  of  Caesarea  there  were  other  cities  in  Palestine, 
in  the  country  which  was  then  known  as  Phoenicia,  whose  splendor  and  popula- 
tion far  exceeded  that  of  any  other  cities  of  the  lycvant,  not  even  excepting 
Carthage.  Of  these,  Tyre  was  the  largest  and  most"  important,  the  commerce  of 
which  extended  east  to  China  and  westward  to  all  the  then  known  world, 
including  a  traffic  of  no  inconsiderable  magnitude  with  the  central  and  western 
parts  of  Africa,  which  are  to-day  practically  unknown  regions.  Tyre  was 
founded  by  the  Sidonians  at  a  period  so  remote  that  the  date  lies  hidden  behind 
the  thick  mists  of  centuries,  but  in  the  time  of  Ezekiel  and  Isaiah  she  was  ' '  the 
stronghold  of  the  sea, ' '  and  a  glowing  picture  of  splendor  and  maritime  power. 
Against  her  walls  the  Assyrians  thundered  in  vain,  and  Shalmaneser  and  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, with  their  million  men,  were  hurled  back  at  every  attempt  to  scale 
her  fortifications.  Not  until  Alexander  the  Great  assaulted,  with  all  the  power 
of  Macedonia,  Egypt  and  Greece,  the  battlements,  by  constructing  moles  about 
the  city,  did  Tyre  lower  her  banners  to  a  conqueror.  Buther  fall  was  like  that 
of  her  offspring,  Carthage,  so  terrible  that  the  devastating  teeth  of  war,  demoli- 
tion, subjugation  and  spoliation  brought  her  speedily  to  a  -ruin  so  complete 
that  to-day  the  relics  of  her  splendor  are  beneath  the  restless  sea.  Back  from  the 
shore  are  still  to  be  seen  the  rock-hewn  tombs  of  some  who  once  knew  Tyre 
when  she  was  mistress  of  the  sea,  but  of  her  magnificence  nothing  but  scattered 
stones  and  crumbled  edifices  now  remain. 

Twenty  miles  north  of  Tyre  was  another  great  Phoenician  city  called  Sidon, 
second  only  to  Tyre  in  importance,  but  with  a  history  less  pregnant  with  great 
events,  though  its  end  was  equally  tragic.  The  city's  power  was  greatest  about 
fifteen  centuries  before  Christ,  during  a  period  when  the  Egyptians  held  the 
supremacy  over  Phoenicia.  About  five  centuries  before  Christ  the  city  fell  into 
the  possession  of  the  Persians,  who  destroyed  the  place  because  the  inhabitants 
rebelled  against  Artaxerxes.  The  city  never  regained  its  commercial  importance, 
but  continued  as  a  proAnncial  capital  until  about  the  time  of  .Christ,  when  it 
became,  with  nearly  all  Palestine,  a  part  of  the  Roman  empire.  It  was  in  Sidon 
that  Christianity  found  an  early  foothold,  a  bishop  having'  been  ordained  for  the 
place  about  A.  D.  300.  In  the  eleventh  century,  however,  the  city  was  captured 
by  the  Mohammedans,  who  held  it  until  1108,  in  which  year  the  Crusaders  under 


(lOl) 


I02  FROM   MANGER   TO  THRONE. 

Baldwin    I.    re-captured    and  retained    it  until    1187,   when    the  Saracens  again 

became  the  conquerors,  only  to  be  divested  a  second  time  b}^  the  Christians  ten 

years  later.     Nearly  one  hundred  years  after,  however,  the  place  was  abandoned 

and  ordered  destroyed  by  the  Sultan  Ashraf,  since  which  time  only  a  few  fisher 

huts  and  some  wave-washed  ruins,  that  tell  a  tale  of  former  splendor,  now  mark 

the  site. 

The  history  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  with  small  difference,  is  the  history  of  other 

coast  cities  of  Palestine,   and  the  other  important  towns  of  Phoenicia,   such  as 

Sarepta,   Gebal,  Beyrout,  Dor,  Accho,  and  many  others  that  exist  to-day  either 

as  small  villages,  or  heaps  of  carved  stone,  scarred  and  broken  by  the  chisel  of 

time. 

Famous  Places  of  Sacred  History. 

From  the  Mediterranean  Coast  the  land  upheaves  toward  Central  Palestine, 
where  a  great  ridge  is  formed  that  slopes  away  again  towards  the  east  until 
reaching  the  plains  of  Assyria.  Along  a  cleft  in  this  ridge  runs  the  Jordan  river, 
so  deep  below  its  banks  that  it  may  be  reached  conveniently  only  at  certain 
passes  and  fords  which  have  continued  practically  the  same  since  the  time  of 
Joshua. 

Beyond  Caesarea,  on  the  north,  the  beach  rapidly  narrows  to  a  termination  at 
Mount  Carmel,  which  is  a  ridge  some  ten  miles  in  length  and  fifteen  hundred 
feet  in  height,  enclosing  the  bay  of  Acre  on  the  South.  Immediately  north  of 
Mount  Carmel  are  the  Lebanon  Mountains,  of  two  parallel  ranges,  between  which 
is  the  vale  of  Eebanon,  a  fertile  district,  fruitful  of  all  the  products  peculiar  to 
Palestine,  and  of  the  cedars  famous  in  history.  At  the  southern  point  of  the 
lycbanon  range  rises  the  peak  of  Hermon,  ten  thousand  feet  above  the  sea-level 
and  overlooking  nearly  the  entire  country.  South  of  Hermon  the  range  is 
reduced  to  bare  hills,  sloping  on  the  east  to  the  Jordan  and  on  the  west  to  the 
historical  plain  of  Esdraelon,  sometimes  called  Megiddo,  and  Jezreel,  in  the 
Scriptures,  the  site  of  the  greatest  battle  in  Jewish  history.  On  the  northeast  of 
this  plain,  at  its  border,  is  Mount  Tabor,  the  traditional  site  of  the  transfiguration. 
Here  was  the  rendezvous  of  Barak,  from  which  he  descended  like  a  whirlwind 
and  overwhelmed  Sisera's  army. 

Jewish  tradition  has  woven  about  this  mountain  many  curious  legends  which 
have  attracted  the  interest  of  mankind  from  time  immemorial.  The  ruins  of 
several  prehistoric  edifices  are  still  to  be  seen  scattered  about  the  apex,  while  the 
relics  of  a  fortress,  presumed  to  have  been  built  by  the  Saracens  about  the  time 
of  Saladin,  are  conspicuously  strewn  about  over  a  considerable  surface  of  the  peak. 
A  few  miles  south  of  the  plain  of  Esdraelon  rises  another  tract  of  country,  broken 
by  irregular  hills,  stretching  east  and  west  nearly  across  the  breadth  of  Palestine^ 
and  terminating  in  the  south  with  the  Mount  of  Hebron. 


(103) 


I04 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


North  of  this  Hes  Samaria,  with  its  mountains  of  Ebal  and  Gerizim,  between 
which,  in  a  narrow  valley,  nestles  the  small  village  of  Nablus,  formerly  the  town 
of  Shechem,  where  the  two  tribes  established  their  capital  after  the  revolt  from 
Israel.  South  of  Hebron  is  the  country  of  Judea,  with  its  desolate  hills  and 
mountains  of  stone,   descending  towards  the  Jordan  Valley,  in  which  lies  the 


lyEBANON   MOUNTAINS. 

dangerously  steep  road  from  Je- 
rusalem to  Jericho.  In  this  cen- 
tral region  are  such  natural 
fastnesses  of  mountains,  cliffs, 
gorges,  caves  and  beetling  crags 
that  it  was  the  fighting  ground  of  such  adventurous  spirits  as  the  Maccabees,  of 
Jephthah's  robber  bands,  of  David,  when  pursued  by  Saul,  and  of  the  leaders  of 
small  parties  when  brought  to  bay  by  stronger  forces. 

The  Eye  of  the  East. 

•  To  the  east  of  Sidon,  some  forty  miles,  in  Coele-Syria,  which  adjoined  Phoe- 
nicia, was  the  city  of  Damascus,  said  by  many  historians  'to  be  one  of  the  most 
ancient  cities  in  the  world,  and  formerly  the  capital  of  all  Syria.  Its  situation  is- 
in  an  astonishingly  fertile  plain,  of  such  exceeding  beauty  that  Orientals  frequently 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


105 


refer  to  it  as  one  of  the  four  terrestrial  paradises.  The  city  extends  for  two  miles 
along  the  Abana  river,  which  empties  into  Lake  Ateibeh  at  Haran,  a  famous  place 
in  Scripture,  scarcely  ten  miles  distant  towards  the  east. 

The  old  city  of  Damascus  still  preserves  many  of  its  ancient  attractions  and 
presents  an  appearance  of  elegance  in  striking  contrast  with  other  towns  of  that 
region.  Its  streets  are  generally  narrow,  but  usually  admirably  paved  with  basalt, 
an  excellent  substitute  for  asphaltum.  The  residences,  though  not  inviting  from 
an  exterior  view,  are  often  magnificent  within,  frequently  a  large  court  being  left 


D.  Apj>lbt4>u  ^  Co.! 

RUINS   OF  ANCIENT   FORTRESS  OVERI.OOKING  THE  WATERS  OF  MEROM. 

in  the  centre,  from  which  rises  a  fountain  that  discharges  a  cooling  spray  particu- 
larly grateful  in  that  country  during  the  summer  months. 

So  very  ancient  is  the  city  that,  like  Tyre,  the  time  of  its  founding  is  uncer- 
tain. Tradition,  a  main  reliance  with  the  people  of  Syria,  says  the  city  was  built 
by  Uz,  who  was  the  son  of  Aram.  This  belief,  in  connection  with  the  fact  that 
it  is  frequently  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures  as  contemporary  with  Abraham,  leads 
to  the  not  unreasonable  supposition  that  the  place  was  known  to  Job,  who,  we  are 
told,  lived  in  the  land  of  Uz. 


io6  FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

The  earliest  reliable  history  we  have  respecting  the  city  is  that  recorded  hy 
Josephus,  who  says  Hadad,  its  first  king,  was  conquered  by  David,  but  if  the  city 
capitulated  at  that  time  the  subjection  was  only  for  a  brief  period.  We  learn  that 
in  the  reign  of  Ahaz  (two  hundred  and  fifty  years  after  David) ,  the  city  was 
captured  by  Tiglath-pileser,  who  slew  its  last  king  and  added  the  place  and  sur- 
rounding plain,  probably  certain  provinces,  to  Assyria.  Following  the  downfall 
of  Belshazzar,  Damascus,  with  the  rest  of  Assyria,  passed  to  the  dominion  of  the 
Persians  and  Babylonians.  The  city  then  enjoyed  a  period  of  peace  until  the 
invasion  of  Persia  by  Alexander  the  Great,  who,  at  the  decisive  battle  of  Issus 
(B.  C.  333) ,  conquered  the  country  and  Damascus  became  a  part  of  the  Seleucidse, 
or  Syrian  monarchy,  and  so  continued  until  64  B.-C,  when  Pompey  attached  it 
to  the  Roman  Empire. 

It  was  near  Damascus  that  Paul's  miraculous  conversion  occurred,  at  which 
time  the  place  was  in  possession  of  the  Arabian  King  Aretas,  who  was  father-in- 
law  to  Herod  Antipas.  At  that  period  the  city  contained  a  large  population  of 
Jews,  who  had  been  flocking  in  after  Alexander' s  conquests,  but  notwithstanding 
this  influx  of  an  anti-Christian  people,  Damascus  was,  next  to  Corinth,  the  first 
place  in  which  a  Christian  Church  was  founded,  and  it  has  continued,  with  all  the 
opposing  influences  of  Jews  and  Mohammedans,  strong  to  this  day. 

Under  the  Romans  Damascus  became  the  most  important  Eastern  city,  and 
chief  arsenal  in  Asia,  with  such  afiiuence  of  manufacture,  wealth,  power  and 
position  that  Julian  gives  it  the  designation  of  ' '  The  Eye  of  the  East. ' ' 

When  Rome  declined,  the  Saracens  captured  the  city,  directly  after  Moham- 
med's death,  and  made  it  the  capital  of  all  their  possessions,  which  it  continued 
to  be  for  ninety  years,  when  the  capital  was  transferred  to  Bagdad.  Since  that 
time  Damascus  has  passed  through  many  ordeals  of  battle  and  change  of  rulership. 
The  Egyptian  Caliphs  held  the  place  for  a  time,  but  were  dispossessed  by  the 
Turks,  who  in  turn  were  besieged  by  Louis  VII.  of  France  and  Conrad  III.  of 
Germany  in  1148,  but  in  vain.  Three  centuries  later  it  surrendered,  after  a 
desperate  resistance,  to  Tamerlane,  who  put  the  inhabitants  to  the  sword,  sparing 
neither  age  nor  sex.  The  Turks  again  captured  the  city  in  151 6  and  retained  pos- 
session until  1832,  when  Egypt  a  second  time  became  the  possessor,  but  restored 
the  place  to  Turkey  eight  years  later. 

Massacre  of  Christians. 

In  i860  occurred  a  dreadful  massacre  of  Christians  in  Damascus,  by  Moham- 
medans, in  which  it  is  said  no  less  than  three  thousand  adult  males  were 
slaughtered,  and  an  equal  number  of  females  were  reduced  to  slavery.  This 
dreadful  act  of  fanatical  savagery  was  never  punished,  and  the  city  still  continues 
in  possession  of  the  murderers. 


FROM    MANGER   TO  THRONE. 


107 


Damascus,  or  the  ancient  portion,  has  not  materially  changed  in  the  past  two 
thousand  years,  and  the  people  have  also  preserved  to  an  astonishing  degree  the 
customs  and  manners  that  distinguished  them  in  the  days  of  Christ. 

As  already  mentioned,  the  streets  are  narrow  and  run  through  the  extreme 
length  of  the  town,  but  to  their  narrowness  is  added  the  inconvenience  and 
unsightliness  of  tortuous  windings,  so  as  to  make  a  succession  of  corners.  One 
of  these  Paul  refers  to  ' '  as  the  street  called  Straight, ' '  but  this  title  was  probably 
given  to  it  by  a  facetious  Arab  as  the  climax  of  an  antique  joke,  for  so  far  from 
being  straight,  the  street  is  one  of  the  crookedest  of  all  the  serpentine  public  ways 


SAMARIA,    FROM   A   RECENT  PHOTOGRAPH. 

of  that  winding  city.  The  houses  ver>^  rarely  have  any  yards  in  front,  all  the 
open  spaces  about  them  being  confined  to  courts,  as  already  described.  Above 
the  walls,  which  still  stand  in  a  condition  of  dangerous  disintegration,  rise  rude 
habitations  which  were  once,  no  doubt,  as  in  the  days  of  Paul,  fairly  commodious 
abodes,  but  all  their  splendor  is  now  in  their  antiqueness  and  historical  association 
with  the  hoary  past. 

About  the  suburbs  of  Damascus  are  frequent  cafes,  where  the  traveler,  half 
faint  with  summer  heat,  may  refresh  himself  with  such  delicious  coffee  as  can  be 
found  nowhere  else,  save  in  Arabia.  Sununer  huts  are  also  provided  by  the  poor 
as  a  partial  refuge  from  the  oppressive  warmth  which  prevails  during  the  hot  and 


io8  FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

dry  season  of  nearly  six  months.  These  are  occasionally  built  on  a  frame-work 
of  poles,  with  planks  roughly  laid  for  flooring.  The  material  of  which  they  are 
constructed  is  usually  the  branches  of  trees  so  interlaced  and  covered  with  leaves 
as  to  give  a  secure  and  yet  airy  habitation,  though  in  appearance  they  very  much 
resemble  the  leaf  huts  of  the  Backone  tree- dwellers. 

Jerusalem. 

The  founding  of  Jerusalem,  like  that  of  Tyre,  Damascus  and  many  other 
places  of  Palestine,  was  accomplished  at  such  a  remote  period  that  no  records 
remain  to  give  us  any  information  as  to  the  time  or  by  whom.  Its  history  is  the 
story  of  the  Hebrew  people  and  of  the  Saviour  of  the  world ;  its  shrines,  the 
repositories  of  all  that  is  sacred  to  Christianity.  No  other  city  has  passed  so  often 
through  the  crucible  of  devastation,  spoliation  and  massacre.  Since  the  time  of 
Abraham  it  has  been  besieged  twenty-four  times  and  destroyed  four  times.  Seven 
times  has  the  city  been  captured  since  the  birth  of  Christ,  and  twice  its  walls,  and 
every  building  of  importance,  demolished.  From  a  great  commercial  mart,  with 
a  population  of  two  hundred  thousand  souls,  which  distinguished  it  above  the 
cities  of  the  East  during  the  ministry  of  Jesus,  it  has  sunk  to  a  condition  of  apathy 
and  squalor,  and  is  now  like  fruit  that  hangs  too  long  on  the  tree,  blighted, 
shriveled,  decayed,  and  contains  scarcely  twenty  thousand  inhabitants,  of  a 
heterogeneous  admixture. 

Anciently  Jerusalem  was  the  seat  of  David's  empire,  and  of  many  kings 
before  him,  but  now  the  only  claim  to  royalty  which  the  place  retains  is  found  in 
its  being  the  seat  of  a  Turkish  Pasha,  and  as  being  one  of  the  three  holy  cities 
of  its  last  conquerors,  the  Mohammedans,  who  have  so  long  defiled  its  sanctuaries. 

The  city  as  it  now  stands  occupies  a  site  on  a  high  plateau  of  some  two  miles 
square,  which  is  connected  with  the  mountain  range  that  provides  a  water-shed 
for  all  Palestine.  Every  spot  within  several  miles  of  the  city  is  holy  ground,  by 
reason  of  some  momentous  event  that  has  transpired  thereon,  worthy  of  descrip- 
tion in  sacred  history.  To  the  west  is  Gihon,  at  the  feet  of  which  trail  their 
lengths  along  the  valleys  of  Hinnom  and  Jehoshaphat,  which  make  a  sweep 
around  the  walls  of  Jerusalem  and  blend  near  the  pool  of  Siloam,  which  once 
"flowed  fast  by  the  oracle  of  God." 

On  the  east,  rising  from  the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat  into  three  bold  peaks,  is 
the  Mount  of  Olives,  while  overhanging  the  valley  of  Hinnom  on  the  south  is 
the  Hill  of  Evil  Counsel,  on  the  rock-ribbed  side  of  which  is  the  Potters'  Field, 
once  called  "The  Field  of  Blood."  Scarcely  half  a  mile  from  Jerusalem  is  the 
upper  pool  of  Gihon,  a  large  reservoir  of  water,  whic'h  flows  into  the  pool  of 
Hezekiah  within  the  walls  and  furnishes  the  city  water  supply  for  bathing  pur- 
poses. 


FROM  MANGER  TO  THRONE. 


109 


The  country  everywhere  about  Jerusalem  is  not  only  nuich  broken,  but  is 
ver>^  rocky,  and  hence  little  suited  for  either  agricultural  or  pastoral  purposes. 
That  it  was  at  one  time  a  fairly  fertile  district  is  well  proved  by  the  history  of 
the  peoples  who  anciently  occupied  it,  but  the  many  devastating  wars  through 
which  the  region  has  passed  have  rendered  it  barren  almost  beyond  reclamation. 
At  every  siege  the  city  sustained,  such  vegetation  as  had  grown  up  about  the 


SUMMER    HUTS    IN   THE  SUBURBS   OF    DAMASCUS. 


place  was  destroyed  either  by  the  besiegers  or  the  besieged,  and  this  denudation 
permitted  the  rains  to  wash  down  the  hillsides,  carr>'ing  with  every  flood  great 
quantities  of  soil,  until  the  substratum  of  stone  was  exposed  and  made  cultivation 
of  the  slopes,  except  for  raising  of  grapes  and  olives,  impossible.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  valleys  became  extremely  rich  by  reason  of  having  received  the  soil 


no  FROM  MANGER  TO  THRONE. 

and  vegetation  washed  down  into  them  from  the  hills,  and  in  these  there  is  an 
immense  yield  of  grain  and  grasses. 

If  we  pass  through  and  around  Jerusalem,  we  cannot  fail  to  notice  relics  of 
the  ancient  city  that  bring  fresh  to  our  minds  much  that  is  of  profound  interest 
and  with  which  the  life  of  Jesus  is  inseparably  connected,  as  is  also  many  of  the 
most  exciting  events  in  Jewish  history.  Ancient  Jerusalem  was  well  protected 
by  strong  walls,  a  defence  which  all  cities  of  the  East  possessed  two  thousand 
years  ago.  The  first  wall  was  probably  built  during  David's  reign,  as  it  encircled 
Zion  and  a  considerable  part  of  Moriah,  upon  which  the  Temple  was  afterwards 
erected.  One  end  began  at  what  was  known  as  the  Tower  of  Hippicus  and 
crossed  to  the  Tower  of  Xystus,  close  to  the  Temple  site,  dividing  the  city,  and 
thus,  while  affording  a  strong  defence  for  the  upper  portion  of  the  place,  left  the 
lower  part  in  an  almost  defenceless  condition.  It  was  for  this  reason  that  be- 
siegers of  the  city  frequently  gained  possession  of  the  lower  portion,  only  to  be 
hurled  back  with  dreadful  slaughter  when  they  assaulted  the  hill.  From  this 
wall  another  branched  off  towards  the  west  from  the  Tower  of  Hippicus  and  ex- 
tended to  the  Essenes  Gate,  from  whence  it  made  a  sweep  toward  the  southeast, 
•enclosing  Zion,  and  terminated  again  at  the  Temple.  Yet  another  wall  had  its 
beginning  at  what  was  called  the  Gate  of  Gennath,  which  pierced  the  first  wall 
very  near  the  Hippicus  tower.  It  extended  towards  the  main  gate  on  the  north 
side  of  the  city  and  then  turned  towards  the  southeast  until  it  flanked  the 
Temple  and  joined  the  other  wall  at  the  Fort  of  Antonio.  There  wi:s  still  a 
fourth  wall,  which  extended  from  the  Tower  of  Hippicus  to  that  of  Psephinus, 
from  whence  it  diverged  eastward,  thence  southward  until  it  united  with  the  first 
and  principal  wall  east  of  the  Temple.  None  of  these  walls  are  now  standing, 
though  the  remains  of  them  are  still  to  be  seen  and  their  foundations  are  fre- 
quently struck  in  modern  excavations. 

Though  the  first  defences  of  the  city  have  become  nearly  obliterated  by  time, 
and  a  long  period  of  peace  which  did  not  call  for  their  restoration,  the  city  is  still 
protected  by  a  very  large  wall  built  in  the  years  1 536-9  by  the  Turkish  Sultan, 
known  in  history  as  Solyman  the  Magnificent.  This  wall,  the  most  substantial 
as  well  as  imposing  that  ever  enclosed  the  city,  is  fifteen  feet  thick  at  the  base 
and  varies  in  height  from  twenty-five  to  seventy  feet,  with  a  circuit  of  a  little  less 
than  three  miles. 

Jerusalem  of  to-day,  though  much  smaller  than  in  the  time  of  Christ,  is  so 
ancient  in  appearance  and  presents  so  few  changes  in  general  aspect  from  that  of 
Jerusalem  of  two  thousand  years  ago,  that  the  first  impression  made  upon  the 
Bible  student  who  enters  the  city  is,  that  he  is  amid  surroundings  made  familiar 
to  him  through  a  reading  of  the  Scriptures.  Herod's  Palace,  Pilate's  splendid 
residence,  the  magnificent  Temple,  the  great  synagogues,  are  not  there,  having 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


Ill 


been  reduced  by  the  dissolving  effects  of  time,  or  destroj'ed  Ijy  the  ruthless  hand 
of  spoliation,  but  in  their  stead  are  other  buildings  of  similar  architectural  appear- 
ance, built  upon  sites  memorable  for  all  ages,  so  that  though  the  body  may  be 
dissipated  the  spirit  of  the  holy  period  still  remains.  The  city  is  now  almost  a 
square,  and,  like  the  Jerusalem  of  old,  the  walls  are  pierced  by  five  gates  called 


SCKNKRV   IN   THIC   MOUNTAINS   NKAR  JKKITSALKM. 

respectively  the  "  Hebrew  Gate,"  which  is  the  principal  entrance  ;  "  Gate  of  the 
Columns,"  "Gate  of  our  Lady  Mary,"  "David's  Gate,"  and  "  Gate  of  the 
Moors."  These  modern  gates  not  only  bear  names  which  connect  them  with 
holy  characters,  but  they  replace  those  with  which  we  have  old  acquaintance 
because  so  frequently  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament,  such  as  were  called  the 
"horse,"  "sheep"  and  "fish  gates,"  which  no  doubt  opened  near  the  market 


112  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

places,  and  the  "fountain"   and  "water"  gates,  and  the  gates  of  "  Ephraim  " 

and  of  "Joshua." 

The  Rivers  of  Palestine. 

Of  the  water-courses  of  Palestine  the  Jordan  is  most  important,  as  it  is  really 
the  only  river  in  the  countr}-,  the  other  so-called  rivers  being  evanescent  streams 
that  appear  sometimes  swollen  into  great  torrents  during  the  rainy  season,  and 
again  presenting  beds  of  luxuriant  valley  grasses  throughout  the  summer  months. 
The  Jordan  has  its  principal  source  at  the  base  of  Mount  Hermon,  where  several 
streams  boil  out  in  incessant  flow,  tumbling  down  their  noisy  beds  until  they  unite 
to  form  a  lake  formerly  known  as  Huhel,  but  now  designated  as  Merom.  The 
waters  gathered  together  in  this  lake  run  out  in  a  murky  and  sluggish  stream 
until  they  reach  a  rocky  bed  so  narrow  that  the  current  is  greatly  accelerated,  and 
then  goes  gamboling  into  lake  Gennesaret  some  dozen  miles  below  Huhel.  Gen- 
nesaret  is  also  called  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  and  of  Tiberias,  being  more  often  referred 
to  in  the  Bible  than  any  other  body  of  water  in  Palestine,  save  the  river  Jordan. 
This  lake  is  about  650  feet  below  sea  level,  and  though  it  receives  heavy  deposits 
of  sediment,  carried  into  it  by  numerous  brooks  started  into  renewed  life  each  fall 
and  spring,  its  waters  are  always  clear  and  beautiful,  abounding  with  many 
species  of  fish.  As  agriculture  is  nowhere  in  Palestine  extensively  followed,  the 
people  living  adjacent  to  the  lake  are  largely  engaged  in  taking  fish  therefrom, 
just  as  they  were  in  the  time  of  Christ. 

Leaving  Gennesaret,  the  Jordan  passes  through  a  broad  valley  in  an  ex- 
tremely tortuous  course,  descending  no  less  than  twenty-seven  rapids  on  its  way 
to  the  Dead  Sea,  1300  feet  below  the  sea  level,  its  extreme  length  being  about  300 
miles,  but  on  a  direct  line  from  source  to  mouth  not  more  than  125  miles. 

The  Dead  Sea. 

The  considerable  body  of  water  known  as  the  ' '  Dead  Sea  ' '  is  ver^^  remark- 
able not  only  for  the  histor}-  with  which  it  is  connected,  but  for  the  wondrous 
character  of  its  waters  also.  It  was  formerly  called  the  Sea  of  Sodom,  and  the 
Salt  Sea  of  Scriptures,  but  the  designation  of  Dead  Sea  has  been  common  since 
the  present  era.  The  sea  lies  between  the  mountains  of  Moab  and  Hebron,  and 
is  eighteen  miles  east  of  Jerusalem.  Its  length  is  a  fraction  more  than  forty  miles, 
and  its  greatest  breadth  about  ten  miles,  constituting  at  one  time  the  valley  of 
Siddim.  which  Lot  selected  in  which  to  graze  his  vast  herds  of  sheep  and  cattle 
when  he  and  Abraham  separated.  In  this  valley  were  situated  the  two  cities  of 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  that  were  destroyed  by  fire  from  heaven  and  from  which 
Lot  and  his  family  alone  escaped. 

While  the  present  basin  of  the  Dead  Sea  ma}'  once  have  been  a  fertile  valley 
capable  of  supporting  two  large  cities  and  numerous  flocks,  the  region  is  described 


FROM  MANGKR   TO  THRONE. 


"3 


Cwj^ri^tit,  1>J>-I 


PORTION  OF  THE  ANCIE 
SOOTH  WAIXOF  JHRC->=i.- 
LKM,  AND  VIKWOPTH8 
MOUNT  Of  OLIVES. 

ill  GsnesLs  (xiv.  lo)  as 

being  "full    of   slime 

pits,"  from  which  we  »-ii*»^ 

may  infer  that  the  outcroppings  of 

petroleum  reser\'oirs  were  frequent,  ^ 

and  natural  gas  vents  common. 

The  destruction  is  believed  to 
have  occurred  about  2000  years  be- 
fore Christ,  and  to  have  been  ac- 
companied by  an  eruptive  force  so 
great  as  to  sink  the  vicinity  to  a  great  depth, 
and  thus  make  it  a  receptacle  for  the  waters 
of  the  Jordan.  The  salt  of  the  lake  may 
have  been  produced  by  the  sudden  exposure 
of  soluble  matter  to  the  inrushing  waters  of 
8 


■>:j^.. 


114  FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

the  river,  in  accordance  with  the  now  well-estabhshed  theory  of  Figuier  and 
Maury  as  to  the  manner  in  which  salt  is  produced  in  the  alembic  of  nature. 
Near  the  sea,  on  the  southwest  side,  is  Sodom  Mountain,  which  contains  a  salt 
stratum,  while  a  short  distance  from  the  base  is  a  column  or  figure,  on  an  oval 
pedestal,  which  is  of  saline  property  except  the  apex,  which  is  of  limestone. 
This  pillar  is  supposed  to  be  the  transformed  wife  of  Lot,  a  supposition  which 
Josephus  also  expresses. 

Along  the  shores  of  the  sea  bitumen  is  found  in  considerable  quantities, 
especially  since  an  earthquake  which  visited  that  region  some  years  ago.  Sulphur 
springs  are  also  frequent,  and  sulphur  is  found  in  layers  scattered  about  the 
adjoining  plain.  The  water  is  so  acrid  that,  applied  to  the  eyes  or  mouth,  it  pro- 
duces great  irritation,  sj  that  bathers  in  the  sea  must  exercise  caution  to  prevent 
painful  consequences.  Soundings  by  Lieutenant  Lynch  show  a  depth  of  over 
1300  feet  in  the  northern  portion,  equal  to  the  depression  of  its  surface  below 
the  Mediterranean  level,  so  that  it  is  the  lowest  sea  in  the  world.  It  has  no 
outlet,  yet  the  variations  of  its  rise  by  spring  freshets  and  its  fall  during  the 
excessively  hot  and  dry  season  never  exceed  fifteen  feet.  In  the  summer-time  the 
evaporation  is  so  rapid  that  the  surrounding  country  is  almost  hidden  by  dense 
mists,  which  render  the  vicinity  most  insalubrious  and  the  air  so  oppressive  as  to 
be  almost  irrespirable.  No  living  thing  exists  in  the  Dead  Sea,  while  along  the 
shores  are  scattered  the  trunks  of  decayed  trees  and  bushes  barely  alive  and 
always  leafless.  The  birds  that  are  peculiar  to  the  region  have  dusky  plumage, 
in  harmony  with  the  waters,  the  trees  and  stones,  and  the  animate  no  less  than 
the  inanimate  objects  thereabout  bear  the  impress  of  desolation,  the  look  of  doom 

and  the  visage  of  a  curse. 

Brooks  of  Palestine. 

The  Kishon,  where  Baal's  prophets  were  slaughtered  by  order  of  Elijah, 
rises  in  Mount  Tabor  and  flows  into  the  bay  of  Acre  near  Mount  Carmel. 
During  the  fall  and  spring  it  is  a  considerable  stream,  but  in  summer  there  is  no 
water  in  its  bed  save  for  the  last  seven  miles. 

The  Arnon  and  Jabbok  are  now  known  as  wadys,  an  Arabic  term  for  a  bed 
that  contains  water  in  the  wet  season  and  is  dry  in  the  summer.  They  both 
discharge  their  waters  into  the  Jordan.  The  Kidron  flows  through  the  valley  of 
Jehoshaphat,  east  of  Jerusalem,  and  into  the  Dead  Sea.  Though  a  stream  often 
mentioned,  both  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  it  is  an  inconstant  brook,  more 
often  dry  than  running.  The  other  streams  of  Palestine  are  no  more  than  wadys, 
important  only  because  of  the  memorable  events  that  occurred  on  their  banks  or 
in  their  dry  beds. 

While  Palestine  of  to-day  is  generally  uninviting  as  a  land  sown  with 
dragons'  teeth,  choking  out,  like  tares,  the  fruitfulness  of  the  soil,  until  it  presents 


FROM    MANGER   TO  THRONE. 


"5 


the  hard  appearance  of  a  country  mildewed,  decayed,  desolated,  yet  many  evi- 
dences remain  to  attest  its  former  magnificence,  if  not  fertility.  Out  on  the  barren 
hills  where  rocks  pile  up  in  confusion,  covered  with  wild  vines,  a  haunt  for  the 
scorpion,  lizard  and  fox,  there  will  be  found  ruins  of  stately  edifices,  monuments 
graved  with  the  records  of  mighty  events,  columns  of  marble  that  once  gleamed 
in  the   corridors  of  splendid  temples,  images  and  statues  which,  centuries  ago, 


THE  CITADEIv  OF  JERUSALEM. 

stood  in  grand  halls,  great  courts  and  sparkling  throne  rooms.  "  For  miles  and 
miles,  "  says  Dean  vStanley,  "there  is  no  appearance  of  present  life  or  habitation 
except  the  occasional  goat-herd  on  the  liillside,  or  gathering  of  women  at  the 
wells,  3'et  there  is  hardly  a  hill  top  of  the  many  within  sight  which  is  not  covered 
with  the  vestiges  of  some  fortress  or  city  of  former  ages.     The  ruins  which  we 


ii6  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

now  see  are  of  the  most  distant  ages  :  Saracenic,  Crusading,  Roman,  Grecian, 
Jewish,  extending  perhaps  even  to  the  old  Canaanitish  remains  before  the  arrival 
of  Joshua." 

While  the  mountainous  regions  are  exceedingly  barren,  the  valleys  of  Pales- 
tine are  of  great  fertility,  though  even  these  productive  portions  are  not  cultivated 
to  their  capacity  to  bear.  This  does  not  apply,  however,  to  the  valley  south 
of  and  near  Bethlehem,  which  is  irrigated  and  tilled  with  such  care  that  it  may 
be  considered  as  one  of  the  fairest  vales  of  the  earth.  In  ancient  times  the  moun- 
tains were  beautifully  terraced  and  made  to  produce  an  abundance  of  grapes  and 
other  fruits,  but  incessant,  devastating  wars  broke  the  spirit  and  ambition  of  the 
people  so  that  they  practically  ceased  their  former  labors  and  suffered  their  fields 
to  become  rank,  in  which  condition  of  neglect  they  still  remain.  Pastoral  pur- 
suits are  now  as  common  as  in  the  days  of  Abraham,  though  the  people  confine 
their  attention  to  sheep  and  goats,  cattle  being  both  scarce  and  ill-favored.  Bees 
are  so  numerous  throughout  the  country  that  everywhere  vast  storehouses  of 
honey  are  found  in  hollow  trees  and  among  the  rocks,  as  it  was  in  the  time  of 
John.  Eocusts  also  frequently  appear  in  immense  swarms,  devouring  all  vegeta- 
tion, and  upon  these  the  people  in  some  localities  largely  subsist,  as  they  do  in 

Arabia. 

The  People  of  Palestine. 

The  present  inhabitants  of  Palestine  differ  little  from  those  who  occupied  the 
country  in  the  time  of  Christ.  They  include  Syrians,  Arabs,  Jews,  Greeks  and  a 
sprinkling  of  all  other  nationalities.  The  Mohammedans  are  in  the  ascendant, 
but  permit  freedom  of  religious  worship  and  respect  the  sacred  shrines  to  which 
so  many  Christians  make  frequent  pilgrimage.  When  Palestine  was  known  as 
Canaan,  and  the  country  of  Canaan  and  Gilead  were  divided  by  the  Jordan,  the 
population  was  perhaps  ten  times  greater  than  it  is  to-day,  the  decadence  having 
begun  with  the  Israelitish  invasion  and  continued  up  to  the  time  of  the  re-build- 
ing of  the  Temple  by  Nehemiah.  The  influx  of  returning  Jews  from  their  seventy 
years'  bondage  to  the  Assyrians  rapidly  increased  the  population,  which  was 
further  augmented  by  a  large  immigration  of  Samaritans,  but  never  again  did 
Palestine  regain  the  power  or  number  of  inhabitants  that  distinguished  the  country 
when  known  as  Canaan  and  Gilead. 

In  the  time  of  Joshua  the  country  was  divided  among  many  tribes  that  have 
collectively  been  distinguished  as  Canaanites,  it  sometimes  happening  that  the 
possessions  of  a  tribe  were  confined  to  a  single  city,  which  was  held  by  something 
like  feudal  tenure.  This  precarious  occupancy  caused  the  tribes  to  throw 
immense  walls  about  their  cities,  strengthened  and  fortified  by  citadels  and  barba- 
cans,  and  to  keep  a  trained  soldiery  that  was  generally  hotly  engaged  in  an  effort 
to  capture  other  cities  or  in  defending  their  own.     The  several  tribes  of  Canaanites 


^::^w<^y ,     __        ^.^      ^ 

<  ropTriitht   1881   "S^-^-"^^^^       =sf 
V  D   AppleluQ  &  (  o     ^     "^^^"^ ^ZLi- 

ENTRANCE    TO    THE    CITADEL,    ON   THE    TRADITIONAL    SITE    WHERE     DAVID    SAT    AWAITING 
NEWS   FROM   THE  BATTLE   IN   EPHRAIM   WOODS,    WHERE    ABSALOM   WAS    KILLED. 

(117) 


ii8 


FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


were  distributed  S?^ 
about  as  follows :  The 
three  K's,  that  is  the 
Kadraanites,  the  Ken- 
izzites  and  Kenites, 
and  a  small  portion  of 
the  Amorites,  were  oc- 
cupants of  Gilead,  or 
that  portion  of  Pales- 
tine lying  east  of  the  'Yopjd^Mlm 

_  1,*1  •  r^  1).  Applctoui-Cu.V 

'  ^  '  THE   RIVER    HASBANY,    THK    NORTHKRN    TRIBUTARY    OF   THE 

naan,    or   west   of  the  tordan. 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


119 


Jordan,- were  the  Jebusites,  Hittites,  Perizzites  and  a  majority  of  Amorites,  who 
were  confined  principally  to  the  hilly  south  country.  In  the  Lebanon  country 
dwelt  the  Hivites,  not  a  numerous  people,  and  therefore  so  peaceable  that  they 
are  not  frequently  mentioned.  The  Girgashites  were  confined  to  a  small  strip 
of  country  along  the  east  shore  of  Gennesaret,  and  were  chiefly  engaged  in 
swine-raising,  an  industry  which  was  not  so  extensively  followed  by  any  other 
tribe.     They  were  the  most  ignorant  and  debased  of  all  the  people  and  had  no 


BEDOUINS  OF  PALESTINE. 

intercourse  with  other  tribes,  while  their  own  pos-sessions  were  insufficient  to  incite 
the  cupidity  of  their  neighbors. 

In  the  extreme  north,  as  already  mentioned,  dwelt  the  Phcenicians,  the  most 
civilized  and  richest  of  all  the  dwellers  in  the  east,  while  in  the  extreme  south- 
west were  the  Philistines,  noted  for  their  valor  in  war  and  their  power  as  a  tribe 
that  had  all  the  characteristics  of  a  nation  except  for  their  migratory  and  preda- 
tory habits.  This  fierce  and  valorous  people  continued  to  menace  Israel  until 
their  ascendancy  was  finally  broken  by  David. 


(I20) 


CHAPTER   II. 

BLOODY   EVENTS    IN   THE   REIGN   OF    HEROD. 

T  THE  beginning  of  the  Christian  Era  the  whole  of  Palestine  was 
under  Roman  dominion,  having  been  divided  into  provinces  and 
districts  and  placed  under  the  direct  rulership  of  ethnarchs  and 
tetrarchs  as  representatives  of  Rome.  The  country  west  of  the 
Jordan  embraced  the  provinces  of  Galilee,  Samaria  and  Judea,  over  which  the 
Ethnarch  Archelaus  presided,  while  the  east  country  was  divided  into  eight 
districts,  viz  :  Perea  proper,  Gilead,  Decapolis,  Gaulonitis,  Batanea,  Auranitis, 
Trachonitis  and  Abilene,  which  were  governed  by  two  tetrarchs,  Philip  and  Herod 
Antipas. 

It  was  immediately  preceding  this  division  of  Palestine  and  in  consequence 
of  the  disputes  and  bloody  events  which  had  distinguished  the  rulership  of 
Herod,  son  of  Antipater,  who  was  of  the  last  dynasty  in  Judea,  and  who  had 
established  himself  as  an  independent  king  under  the  auspices  and  favors  of  the 
Roman  triumvirs,  that  several  of  the  most  momentous  occurrences  in  the  history 
of  Israel  transpired. 

Hyrcanus,  who,  as  the  son  of  Alexander  Jannaeus,  the  Sadducee,  had  (B.  C. 
71)  been  established  as  high  priest  by  his  mother,  was  soon  after  reconfirmed  by 
Pompey,  after  defeating  the  contestant,  Aristobulus,  and  capturing  Jerusalem, 
with  tremendous  slaughter  of  the  people.  In  the  name  of  Hyrcanus,  Antipater 
became  Governor,  who,  in  turn,  was  established  by  Caesar  after  the  fall  of  Pompey, 
as  Procurator  of  Judea.  This  change  of  rulership  was  speedily  followed  by  an 
invasion  of  the  country  by  Antigonus,  who  defeated  the  great  Roman  general 
Crassus  (B.  C.  53)  and,  making  himself  master  of  Judea,  carried  Hyrcanus  into 
captivity.  His  success  was  of  short  duration,  however,  for  Herod,  son  of  Antipater, 
who  had  been  compelled  to  seek  safety  in  flight  to  Rome,  succeeded  in  winning 
the  favor  of  the  triumvirs,  and  with  a  royal  commission  returned  to  Judea  to 
a.ssume  the  office  of  Procurator.  He  quickly  took  the  title  of  Herod  the  Great, 
and  began  his  rule  by  ordering  a  reconstruction  of  the  Temple  in  a  style  of  almost 
inconceivable  magnificence,  and  the  building  of  cities  and  fortresses  which  should 
make  his  reign  more  glorious  than  was  that  of  Solomon,  whom  he  had  an  ambi- 
tion to  excel.  But  while  this  great  expenditure  of  the  revenue  and  treasure  of 
the  countr>'  was  made  with  the  double  purpose  of  increasing  his  fame  and  winning 

(121) 


122 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


the  admiration  of  his  subjects,  he  was  so  injudicious  as  to  institute  ceremonies, 
which,  while  grateful  to  his  vanity,  were  most  repugnant  to  the  Jews,  and  which 
reacted  against  hira  with  great  force.  Among  his  foreign  allies  or  supporters  were 
Marc  Antony  and  his  voluptuous  mistress,  Cleopatra,  out  of  consideration  to- 
whose  desires  Herod  established  customs  that  had  from  time  immemorial 
received  the  condemnation  of  all  Jewish  law-givers.  Among  these  forbidden 
carnivals  which  Herod  revived  were  gladiatorial  contests,  and  Olympian 
games,  and  Dionysian  festivals,  and  the  setting  up  of  statues,  while  above  the 
Temple  gate  he  caused  to  be  fixed  the  Roman  Eagle,  which  to  the  Jews  was  a. 


ROMAN   SOLDIERS   BESIEGING  A  WAI.LED   CITY. 

perpetual  reminder  of  their  thraldom  to  the  new  conquerors,  and  their  subjection^ 
as  a  nation  that  had  been  oppressed  by  many  yokes,  galling  and  grievous. 
Horrible  Atrocities  of  Herod. 
With  the  institution  of  ceremonials  repugnant  to  the  vast  majority  of  his 
subjects,  Herod  conceived  and  executed  revenges  that  incited  against  him  the 
just  hatred  of  the  Jews,  who  now  saw  in  their  ruler  the  bloody  iron  hand  of  a 
malevolent  ruffian  who  was  bent  on  eiFacing  the  last,  vestiges  of  Jewish  suc- 
cession and  the  complete  destruction  of  their  influence  as  a  nation.  "The 
Maccabean  blood  was  the  red  flag  that  set  aflame  with  passion  the  Herodian  bull^ 
and  with  a  merciless  sword  he  set  about  the  slaughter. ' ' 


FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


123 


Herod  was  himself  connected  with  the  house  of  Maccabees  by  marriage,  being 
the  husband  of  Mariamne,  who  was  granddaughter  of  Hyrcanus,  and  daughter 
of  Alexandra  and  Jannseus,  and  sister  of  Aristobulus.  But  this  fact  did  not  in 
any  wise  abate  his  determination  to  destroy  the  seed  royal  ;  by  his  desire,  if  not 
direct  orders,  Antigonus  was  executed  at  Damascus,  followed  soon  after  by  the 
murder  of  his  own  powerful  rival,  Hyrcanus,  who  was  enticed  from  Babylon  to 
Jerusalem  with  the  promise  from  Herod  to  re-establish  him  in  the  position  of  high 
priest.  The  next  to  fall  by  his  attainted  hand  was  the  youthful  high  priest  Aristo- 
bulus, his  queen's  brother,  who  was  drowned  while  bathing  with  the  king,  by  the 
latter' s  attendants.  But  these  murders,  instead  of  glutting  Herod's  vengeance, 
only  stimulated  his  atrocious 
spirit  to  baser  deeds.  His  vic- 
tims now  rapidly  multiplied  in 
the  following  order :  Joseph, 
his  uncle ;  then  his  own  be- 
loved queen,  whom  he  sus- 
pected of  conniving  against  the 
perpetuity  of  his  crown,  next 
his  mother-in-law  Alexandra, 
and  a  few  years  after,  as  will 
presently  be  described,  his  two 
sons,  who  were  idols  of  the 
people,  possessing  as  they  did 
all  the  graces  and  good  qualities 
of  their  mother,  and  none  of 
the  vices  of  their  brutal  father  ; 
all  these  fell  victims  to  his  mad- 
ness. Besides  these  executions 
of  Herod's  relations,  hundreds 
of  others  were  as  cruelly  slaugh-  thu  roman  eagle,  and  statue  of  titus. 

tared  by  the  royal  edict  for  no  other  crime  than  the  king's  suspicion  that  they  were 
in  sympathy  with  the  victims  and  thus  secretly  opposed  to  his  rule. 

Calamities  that  Befell  the  Nation. 

The  many  murders  of  innocent  people  and  the  flagrant  abuses  of  his  power 
at  length  brought  Herod  into  a  sorry  plight.  The  blood  of  his  house  cried  out 
against  him  and  the  mutterings  of  the  people  grew  so  loud  and  general  that  to 
have  hushed  them  would  have  depopulated  his  kingdom.  But  as  if  to  increase 
his  miseries,  four  years  after  the  death  of  Mariamne,  and  in  the  thirteenth  of  his 
reign,  a  dreadful  famine  prevailed  throughout  the  land,  which  the  people  construed 


124  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

as  a  judgment  sent  by  God  for  the  king's  crimes  and  his  defilement  of  the  sanc- 
tuary, which  had  been  prostituted  to  all  manner  of  heathen  worship.  Something 
must  be  done  to  avert  a  threatened  insurrection  and  placate  his  incensed  subjects 
and,  if  possible,  to  win  their  favor.  With  admirable  diplomacy,  therefore,  Herod 
brought  out  from  his  sumptuously  furnished  palace  all  the  silver  service  and  rich 
cloths  and  splendid  furnishings,  to  which  he  added  his  plethoric  treasury,  and 
sent  the  whole  to  Egypt  with  which  to  buy  grain  for  his  famishing  people  and  their 
starving  herds.  Vast  quantities  of  corn  were  thus  brought  into  Palestine,  which 
he  distributed  as  a  free  gift  to  all  the  needy,  as  well  as  a  bounteous  provision  of 
clothing  to  all  those  who  had  lost  their  flocks  of  goats  and  sheep.  Besides  this 
munificent  bounty,  he  remitted  a  third  of  the  taxes  and  removed  all  burdens, 
within  his  power  to  do,  without  bankrupting  the  nation,  from  the  people  ;  but 
while  doing  these  generous  things  he  forfeited  a  large  portion  of  the  favor  which 
they  must  have  brought  him  by  a  most  impolitic  act,  in  issuing  a  decree  ordering 
that  all  persons  convicted  of  theft  should  be  sold  as  slaves  to  other  countries. 
This  was  specially  obnoxious  to  the  Jews,  who  foresaw,  as  they  believed,  a  scheme 
for  the  removal  of  persons  who  might  be  repugnant  to  the  king,  and  a  law  easily 
abused  by  using  it  to  gratify  personal  spites. 

A  Royal  Domestic  Imbroglio. 

The  complaints  which  the  law  for  the  punishment  of  theft  incited  speedily 
abated,  however,  and  popular  feeling  turned  towards  Herod  for  the  first  time,  as 
a  reward  for  his  interposition  with  Agrippa  on  behalf  of  the  Jews  to  grant  to  them 
the  privileges  of  free  worship  and  protection,  as  promised  by  Caesar,  and  also 
because  of  a  further  remission  of  a  quarter  of  the  annual  tax. 

In  the  meantime,  Herod's  two  sons  by  his  first  wife,  Mariamne  (he  having 
meanwhile  married  a  Jewess  of  the  same  name) ,  Alexander  and  Aristobulus,  the 
former  now  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  the  latter  one  year  younger,  had  been  sent 
to  Rome  and  placed  under  careful  tutelage  for  a  bringing  up  that  would  prepare 
them  for  the  assumption  of  imperial  duties.  Their  schooling  in  home  had  not 
made  them  forget  their  father's  cruelty,  nor  diminished  their  love  for  the  memory 
of  their  mother,  and  with  the  harboring  of  a  desire  for  revenge  they  sought  to 
have  the  accusers  of  their  mother  brought  to  trial.  In  addition  to  this  effort  to 
revive  animosities,  the  two  sons  also  showed  an  unmistakable  aversion  to  others 
of  the  king's  household,  which  led  to  a  conspiracy  being  formed  against  them,  in 
which  Herod  was  soon  made  a  party.  The  sons  were  recalled  and  each  provided 
with  a  wife,  Alexander,  who  was  crown  prince,  being  wedded  to  a  daughter  of 
Archelaus,  king  of  Cappadocia,  whose  mother  was  the  illegitimate  offspring  of  a 
votary  in  the  temple  of  Venus  in  Corinth.  Aristobulus  was  united  to  Herod's 
niece,  named  Berenice,  daughter  of  the  king's  sister  Salome.     These  two  brides 


FROM    MANGKR   TO   THRONE. 


125 


began,  almost  immediately  upon  entering  Herod's  palace,  to  foment  strife  by- 
carrying  the  idle  gossip  of  attendants  to  the  Court,  who  in  turn  retailed  all  such 
reports,  espe- 
cially when  they 
reflected  upon 
the  ambition  of 
the  princes,  to 
Herod,  and  thus 
were  the  plans  of 
the  conspirators 
against  Alexan- 
der and  Aristo- 
bulus  rapidly 
promoted.  To 
add  to  this  sorrj- 
condition  of  the 
royal  household, 
Berenice  and 
Glasphyra,  wife 
of  Alexander,  be- 
came envious  of  ^^ 
one  another  and  v 
fell  into  a  bitter 
quarrel,  which 
soon  involved 
their  husbands. 
Another  ingredi- 
ent of  evil  that 
Increased  the  ^^ 
bubble  in  the 
already  seething 
kettle  of  domes- 
tic scandal,  was 
caused  by  the 
marriage  of  Her- 
od's youngest 
brother,  Phero- 
ras,  with  a  Phar- 
isee slave  girl, 
who  threw  herself  armor  of  roman  officers  in  the  time  of  uerod. 


126  FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

into  the  broil  because  Glasphyra  had  ridiculed  Pheroras  for  his  low  alliance.     All 

were  now  against  the  two  princes  save  their  wives,  and  the  conspirators  hastened 

a  consummation  of  their  foul  plans  by  inducing  Herod  to  recall  his  son  Antipater, 

who  had  been  banished  some  years  before,  and  who  was  known  to  be  a  bitter 

€nemy  of  the  princes.     A   result  of  this  scheme  was  the  naming  of  Antipater  as 

heir  to  the  throne  and,  on  account  of  his  accusations,   the  arrest  of  Alexander 

and  Aristobulus,  who  were  conveyed  to  Rome  for  trial  before  Caesar  on  the  charge 

of  conspiracy  against  the  life  of  their  father.     Their  personal  popularity  at  Rome, 

as   well    as    their   address,    however,   procured  for  them  an  acquittal,   and  they 

returned   to  Jerusalem  in  the  company  of  Herod  with  an  outward   appearance 

of  reconciliation. 

Execution  of  the  Two  Princes. 

A  very  short  period  of  peace  intervened  before  a  fresh  disturbance  in  Herod's 
household  occurred,  precipitated  a  second  time  by  a  renewal  of  the  enmity 
between  the  wives  of  Alexander,  Aristobulus  and  of  Pheroras,  while  Antipater 
encouraged  the  hatred,  knowing  that  out  of  the  difficulty  some  personal  advan- 
tage must  come  to  his  unscrupulous  ambition.  At  length,  when  the  occasion 
seemed  auspicious  for  their  base  purposes,  Antipater  and  Pheroras  caused  the 
slaves  of  the  two  princes  to  be  seized  and  put  to  the  torture,  with  the  intent  of 
thus  extorting  from  them  an  accusation  of  their  master's  guilt  of  conspiracy.  In 
this  infamous  purpose  they  succeeded,  and  then  confronting  Alexander  with  the 
confessions  so  basely  and  mercilessly  secured,  they  boldly  added  their  own 
accusations.  Annoyed,  threatened,  pursued,  traduced  and  abused  as  he  had 
been,  with  his  father's  hand  against  him  and  nowhere  to  turn  for  protection,  in  a 
moment  of  madness  Alexander  admitted  his  guilt,  making  no  other  defence 
thereto  than  the  claim  that  he  was  no  more  a  conspirator  against  his  father's  life 
than  were  all  others  of  his  relatives,  excepting  alone  Antipater,  whom  he 
regarded,  despite  the  baseness  manifested,  as  his  best  friend,  and  therefore  he 
desired  that  no  ill  might  befall  him.  The  admission  thus  made  and  his  sweeping 
charge  against  his  relatives  as  co-conspirators  so  incensed  them,  that  with  one 
voice  they  demanded  his  immediate  execution,  which,  but  for  the  king  of  Cappa- 
docia  would,  no  doubt,  have  been  obeyed. 

A  dreadful  condition  of  affairs  now  followed.  If  Herod's  concern  were  great 
before,  his  state  of  mind  was  now  so  horrible  as  to  excite  compassion.  He  very- 
soon  discovered  the  deceits  in  his  household,  and  the  designs  so  persistently  and 
systematically  pursued  by  Pheroras  and  Salome,  who  were  evidently  seeking,  not 
only  the  death  of  the  princes,  but  his  own  as  well.  Thus  he  became  suspicious 
of  all  his  Court  which  increased  the  evils  by  multiplying  the  accusers,  who  made 
charges  against  each  other  in  order  to  divert  suspicion  from  themselves.  At 
length  this  very  condition  developed  a  deeper  intrigue  in  the  mind  of  one  of 


FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONE. 


127 


Herod's  Greek  Court  officers,  who 
sought  to  profit  by  interposing  his  offi- 
ces for  a  final  settlement  of  the  dis- 
putes. Seeing  that  Antipater  and 
Archelaus  had  some  interests  in  com- 
mon, which  they  would  wnlingly  pay 
him  largely  to  advance,  and  having 
diagnosed  the  canker  in  the  king's 
mind  as  a  consuming  suspicion  against 
his  two  sons,  he  deliberately  set  about 
planning  for  their  execution.  It  was 
not  long  before  he  was  able  to  lay  be- 
fore Herod  such  forged  letters  as  con- 
vinced the  king  of  the  charges  so  spe- 
ciously advanced,  and  forthwith  the 
two  princes  were  placed  in  chains  by 
the  royal  order  and  their  slaves  again 
put  to  the  rack  to  affix  their  guilt. 
Salome  importuned  Herod  incessantly 
to  destroy  them,  which  he  had  a 
strong  desire  to  do,  but  was  restrained 
for  a  time  by  the  fear  that  such  an 
act,  perpetrated  so  soon  after  their  ac- 
quittal by  a  Roman  tribunal,  would 
give  offence  to  Augustus,  who  cer- 
tainly had  some  regard  for  the  unfor- 
tunate princes,  over  whom  he  had 
exercised  a  friendly  care  during  the 
time  they  had  attended  school  in 
Rome. 

The  incessant  importunings  of 
Salome,  however,  influenced  the  dis- 
tracted Herod  at  length  to  address  a 
message  to  Augustus  requesting  per- 
mission to  order  the  execution  of  the 
princes.  This  request,  though  granted, 
so  incensed  Augustus  that  he  wrote  a 
very  caustic  letter  to  Herod,  condemn- 
ing him  for  his  cruelty  and  unnatural 
hatred,     and    for    his     pusillanimous 


ROMAN    INl-ANXRV    SOLDIKRS. 


128  FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

weakness  in  permitting  such  a  broil  and  calamitous  termination  in  his  own  house- 
hold. While  giving  Herod  a  permit  to  destroy  his  two  sons,  Augustus  took 
away  from  him  the  crown  of  Arabia. 

In  pursuance  of  the  authority  thus  granted  Herod  appeared  before  the  court, 
held  at  Bertyus,  whither  the  two  sons  were  brought  in  chains,  and  at  a  mock 
trial,  on  the  evidence  of  the  father,  the  unfortunate  princes  were  condemned  to 
death,  and  were  accordingly  strangled  at  Samaria. 

Herod  had  confidently  expected  that  the  death  of  his  two  sons  would  be 
followed  by  a  truce  between  the  warring  factions  of  his  household,  but  so  great 
was  his  disappointment  that  the  embitterment  was  increased  and  the  king  became 
at  once  an  object  not  only  for  suppressed  public  execration,  but  also  for  the  mur- 
derous shafts  of  one  of  his  surviving  sons,  Antipater,  and  his  adroit  and  malignant 
brother,  Pheroras.  Antipater  had  really  been  the  instigator  of  nearly  all  the  trouble 
which  brought  his  brothers  Alexander  and  Aristobulus  to  a  violent  death,  and 
fearing  that  his  villainy  would  be  exposed  to  his  father  he  joined  in  a  conspiracy 
wdth  Pheroras  to  murder  Herod.  The  latter  entered  willingly  into  the  plot,  being 
incited  thereto  by  a  movement  begun  by  his  wife's  relations  and  the  Pharisees, 
who  were  anxious  to  compass  the  death  of  Herod  and  to  place  Pheroras  on  the 
throne.  To  give  greater  encouragement  to  their  murderous  scheme  they  indus- 
triously circulated  prophecies  that  God  had  decreed  a  transference  of  the  throne 
from  Herod  and  his  family  to  Pheroras.  The  plot  was  also  furthered  by  the  pro- 
curement of  the  aid  of  one  of  Herod's  eunuchs,  named  Bagoas,  who,  it  was 
declared,  should  soon  become  father  of  a  son  who  would  be  the  long-promised 
Messiah. 

This  conspiracy,  though  adroitly  conceived,  and  participated  in  by  many 
persons  about  the  palace — and  its  execution  would  no  doubt  have  met  with 
general  approval — was  nevertheless  exposed,  and  several  rabbis  and  commoner 
people  near  the  king  were  put  to  death.  Pheroras  was  suspected  by  Herod,  but 
not  openly  accused  of  participation,  hence  in  the  belief  that  Pheroras'  wife  was 
one  of  the  prince's  instigators,  Herod  demanded  that  she  be  divorced  and  sent  out 
of  the  kingdom.  Rather  than  do  this,  however,  Pheroras  accepted  banishment 
in  her  company,  and  accordingly  proceeded  to  Perea,  where  he  very  soon  after 
suddenly  died  from  swallowing  a  poison  potion  which  had  been  sent  by  Antipater 
to  kill  Herod,  who  now,  in  the  eccentricity  of  his  disposition  and  distraction  of 
mind  conceived  that  Pheroras  had  been  guiltless  of  any  participation  in  the  plot 
against  his  life.  To  make  amends  as  far  as  possible  for  what  be  thought  had  been 
his  unjust  suspicion,  he  caused  the  body  of  Pheroras  to  be  brought  back  to  Jerusalem 
and  appointed  a  day  of  national  mourning  for  his  death. 

Antipater,  who  had  remained  at  Rome,  and  was  yet  ignorant  of  the  exposure 
of  his  villainy,  was  now  sent  for  by  Herod,  the  request  for  his  presence  being 


FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


129 


made  in  a  letter  of  unctuous  friendliness  which  completely  disarmed  him  of  any 
suspicion.  Antipater  came  at  once  to  Jerusalem  in  response  to  the  summons,  and 
as  he  entered  the  palace  Herod  gave  orders  for  his  arrest  and  trial  before  the 
Syrian  proconsul.  The  evidence  of  his  guilt  was  conclusive,  and  withal  so  horri- 
fying that  Herod,  after  communicating  the  result  to  Rome,  was  seized  with  an 
illness  from  which  it  was  declared  by  those  who  attended  him  he  could  not  recover. 
This  report  quickly  spread  and  was  follow^ed  immediatelj'  by  an  outburst  of  long- 


RUINS    OF    H1-;K()I)S    I'AI.ACl';    IN    SAMARIA,    AS    THKV    NOW    APPKAR. 

repressed  hatred  on  the  part  of  the  Jews,  led  as  they  were  by  the  rabbis.  They 
regarded  the  culmination  as  a  direct  manifestation  of  God's  anger  at  Herod  for 
his  many  sacrilegious  acts,  in  profaning  the  Temple, and  his  violations  of  the  Jewish 
laws,  as  well  as  the  many  acts  of  cruelty'  which  had  distinguished  his  reign.  The 
incipient  revolution  was  characterized  by  a  freedom  of  complaint  made  by  the 
rabbis  against  the  iniquities  of  Herod,  and  the  criticisms  thus  publicly  made  soon 
emboldened  the   people  to   add   the   most  serious   accusations,  and  from  these 


I30  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

revolution  quickly  succeeded.  From  a  smouldering  coal  a  great  fire  had  been  de- 
veloped and  the  kingdom  was  in  a  tumult.  The  rabbis,  or  Pharisees,  went  cr>'ing 
through  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  and  not  only  in  synagogues  but  on  the  corners, 
everywhere,  inflamed  the  passions  of  the  populace  by  bitter  harangues  until  a 
mob  organized  to  destroy  the  hated  symbols  of  Rome,  which  the  Jews  regarded 
as  badges  of  their  servitude  to  the  Romish  invaders.  A  body  of  students,  encour- 
aged by  the  rabbis,  rushed  to  the  Temple,  and  tore  down  the  Roman  Eagle, 
which  they  broke  to  pieces  in  the  street,  while  others  rose  in  various  parts  of  the 
city,  and  committed  similar  acts  until  they  were  scattered  by  a  charge  of  a  com- 
pany of  soldiers.  Forty  of  the  rioters  were  arrested  and  taken  for  j  udgment  before 
Herod.  When  he  threatened  them  with  death  they  only  laughed  him  to  scorn, 
and  counted  that  their  reward  should  be  so  great  hereafter  that  they  had  no  fears 
of  any  punishments  he  could  inflict.  Herod  was  so  bitterly  incensed  by  this 
bravado,  besides  being  racked  with  both  mental  and  physical  suffering,  that  he 
ordered  a  prompt  trial  of  the  ofienders  at  Jericho,  readily  anticipating  what  the 
result  must  be.  They  were  of  course  convicted  of  treason  and  vandalism,  and  by 
Herod  were  brought  to  a  terrible  punishment.  The  rabbis  and  several  leaders  of 
the  movement  were  burned  at  the  stake  and  the  rest  were  beheaded. 

But  these  inflictions,  cruel,  terrible  as  they  were,  did  not  break  the  spirit  of 
his  enemies,  nor  did  they  serve  to  assuage  his  dreadful  sufferings.  He  could  bring 
a  horrible  punishment  upon  his  enemies,  but  as  an  enemy  to  God  he  must  endure 
sufferings  even  greater.  A  loathsome  disease  was  slowly  but  surely  devouring 
his  vitals  ;  it  had  him  on  the  rack  of  torture,  and  human  hands  could  give  him  no 
relief  now,  no  more  than  a  royal  pronunciamento  could  avert  his  torment.  Ser- 
vants carried  his  putrefying  body  to  the  sulphur  springs  of  Callirhoe,  but  the 
waters  could  do  him  no  good,  for  the  angel  of  death  had  troubled  the  waters  of  his 
life  and  soul. 

He  saw  with  distempered  vision  a  procession  of  his  victims,  his  wife,  sons, 
and  scores  of  subjects,  with  locks  bedraggled  of  blood,  and  eyes  looking  scorn, 
and  fingers  pointing  triumphant.  His  last  day  w^as  fast  approaching,  when  sud- 
denly he  thought  of  his  arch  enemy,  his  unnatural  son,  Antipater,  who  had  not 
yet  paid  the  penalty  of  his  horrible  iniquities.  In  a  trice  the  failing  king  wrote 
out  an  order  for  his  immediate  execution,  and  five  days  after  Antipater  had  joined 
the  other  victims.  Herod  surrendered  up  his  soul  in  the  seventy-second  year  of 
his  miserable  life,  probably  two  years  after  the  birth  of  Christ. 


CHAPTER  III. 

JEWISH    BELIEFS   RESPECTING   THE   MESSIAH. 

GHE  distracted  condition  of  affairs  in  Judea,  as  described  in  the  preced- 
ing chapter,  led  to  a  critical  examination  of  the  old  prophecies  as  to 
the  time  when  the  predicted  Messiah  should  appear.  Many  of  the 
most  learned  believed  that  Christ  would  come  when  Israel  was  in  the 
deepest  distress,  when  her  oppression  was  greatest,  and  when  calamity,  either 
through  natural  causes  or  by  the  grinding  heels  of  invaders,  should  make  His  aid 
most  needful.  This  direful  time  seemed  now  to  have  arrived,  and  hence  there  was 
a  quickening  of  interest  in  the  prophecies,  and  in  the  days  of  her  distraction  Israel 
therefore  became  buoyant  with  a  refreshing  hope  of  the  Messiah's  earl}^  appear- 
ance to  restore  the  Jews  to  their  former  power  and  independence  under  David. 

The  religious  and  civil  condition  of  the  Jews  at  this  time  was  remarkable 
even  for  a  people  that  had  passed  through  so  many  phenomenal  situations,  in 
which  miraculous  intervention  was  both  conspicuous  and  frequent.  Always 
an  intensely,  perfervid,  religious  race,  they  naturally  drifted  into  beliefs  which 
transcended  the  faith  founded  upon  the  laws  of  Moses  and  the  teachings  of  their 
prophets,  and  hence  they  more  easily  became  the  dupes  of  designing  hierarchs, 
such  as  the  rabbis  or  learned  men  of  the  Pharisaic  sect  were.  These  laid  claim  to 
preternatural  powers  almost  equal  to  God  himself,  which  they  grounded  into  the 
people  by  appealing  to  a  credulity  positively  amazing.  These  pretensions  were  so 
well  substantiated  that  they  set  themselves  above  kings,  and  exacted  and  received 
the  reverential  respect  of  the  people.  They  recited  the  most  astounding  miracles 
as  evidence  of  their  powers,  and  their  deluded  followers  sat  dumb  with  amazed 
admiration  before  them,  and  this  extraordinary  influence  they  continued  to 
exercise  for  a  period  of  four  hundred  years,  and  until  the  mask  was  torn  from 
them  by  Christ  himself. 

While  parading  their  own  learning  and  indefinable  and  illimitable  powers 
over  men  and  elements,  the  rabbis  still  held  to  and  taught  the  coming  of  one 
greater  than  they,  a  Messiah  and  Deliverer,  who  would  be  the  truly  Anointed 
of  God.  This  claim  they  made  in  nearly  all  their  prayers  and  it  became  a 
dominant  feature  of  their  teaching,  founded  as  it  was  upon  the  Messianic 
prophecies  of  Ezekiel,  Malachi,  David,  Micah,  Jeremiah,  Isaiah,  Zechariah  and 
Daniel.     Several  times  the  people  thought  their  hopes  were  realized  in  Cyrus, 

(131) 


132  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

the  thunder-bolt  of  war  ;  in  Zerubbabel,  the  "Prince  of  Captivity  ;  "  in  Macca- 
beus, that  wondrous  son  of  Judah  who  brought  up  the  people  out  of  the  ashes  of 
despair.  All  these  did  great  works,  but  they  were  not  of  that  fullness  which 
satisfied  Israel  that  her  Deliverer  was  indeed  come,  and  the  longing  eyes  of  the 
people  continued  strained  towards  the  higher  kingdom  from  whence  the  Divine 
King  was  expected  soon  to  descend. 

The  idea  of  a  speedy  coming  of  the  Messiah  became  so  general  that  it  took 
possession  of  the  Jews  to  the  exclusion  of  almost  every  other  ambition.  The 
prophecies  of  Daniel  were  a  constant  theme  of  discussion,  because  their  fulfillment 
was  believed  to  be  so  near  at  hand.  The  rabbis  were  united  in  their  faith  that  He 
would  be  born  in  the  flesh  at  Bethlehem  and  come  out  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  but 
that  His  Messianic  power  would  not  be  discovered  until  Elias  and  the  other 
prophets  came  as  forerunners  to  announce  His  mission.  But  the  Christ  around 
whom  centred  the  hopes  of  the  Jews  was  pictured  as  a  God  of  war,  who  would 
descend  upon  the  enemies  of  Israel  with  fire  and  sword  as  did  David  of  old,  and 
with  as  little  mercy.  "He  girds  his  loins  and  descends,  and  orders  the  battle 
against  His  enemies  and  slays  their  kings  and  their  chief  captains  ;  there  is  no  one 
so  mighty  as  to  stand  before  Him.  He  makes  the  mountains  red  with  the  blood 
of  His  slaughtered  foes  :  His  robes,  dyed  in  their  blood,  are  like  the  skins  of 
purple  grapes.  The  beasts  of  the  fields  will  feed  for  twelve  months  on  the  flesh  of 
the  slain,  and  the  birds  of  the  air  will  feed  on  them  for  seven  years.  The  Eord 
will  revenge  us  on  the  bands  of  Gog.  At  that  hour  will  the  powers  of  the  nation 
be  broken  :  they  will  be  like  a  ship  whose  tackling  is  torn  away,  and  whose  mast 
is  sprung,  so  that  the  sail  can  be  no  longer  set  on  it.  Then  will  Israel  divide  the 
treasures  of  the  nations  among  them,  a  great  store  of  booty  and  riches,  so  if  there 
be  the  lame  and  blind  among  them,  even  they  shall  have  their  share."  This  is 
the  language  of  the  Jerusalem  Targum  (the  Chaldee  or  Aramaic  version  of  the 
Old  Testament) ,  and  it  is  the  reflection  of  a  universal  belief  prevalent  at  that  time. 
But  more  than  this,  the  Jews  were  so  selfish  that  the  Pharisees,  or  rabbis,  main- 
tained that  when  the  Messiah  should  have  winnowed  the  land  of  its  enemies  Judah 
would  become  a  paradise,  a  heavenly  kingdom  transplanted  on  earth,  where  labor 
and  worry  would  never  more  be  known  to  the  chosen  people.  It  was  a  prognostic 
of  the  rabbis  that  on  the  day  of  the  Messiah's  coming,  the  earth  itself  would 
manifest  its  joy  in  a  magnificent  fruitage,  that  a  handful  of  corn  on  the  mountain 
tops  would  suddenly  take  root  and  throw  out  stalks  as  large  as  palm  trees  and 
from  which  innumerable  ears  would  shoot  forth  which,  shaken  by  a  wind  from 
heaven,  would  be  ground  into  the  whitest  flour  and  in  such  quantity  as  to  feed  all 
the  people.  Grapes  would  grow  so  large  that  a  wagon  would  not  suffice  to  hold  a 
single  one,  while  a  cluster  would  load  a  ship,  and  from  them  the  best  wine  might 
be  drawn  as  from  a  cask.     But  the  surprises  that  were  then  to  take  place  were  not 


134  FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

yet  fully  enumerated,  for  greater  wonders  would  be  seen  in  the  splendors  of  the 
capital  which  the  Messiah  would  establish.  The  great  mountains  of  Palestine 
were  to  be  brought  together  and  a  new  Jerusalem  set  thereon,  covering  an  area  so 
great  that  a  running  horse  could  not  pass  between  its  limits  in  a  day,  and  the 
houses  of  this  grand  city  would  be  not  only  of  inconceivable  splendor,  but  the 
palaces  therein  would  be  three  miles  in  height.  Around  the  city,  it  was  declared, 
would  be  a  wondrous  wall  pierced  by  numerous  gates,  composed  entirely  of 
precious  stones,  while  the  surrounding  country  would  sparkle  with  prismatic 
reflections  from  diamonds,  sapphires  and  rubies,  rivaling  in  beauty  the  walls  and 
pavements  of  heaven  itself.  To  add  further  glory  and  grandeur  to  the  New 
Jerusalem,  the  people  therein  would  all  be  made  prophets  and  become  as  gods, 
while  the  millennium  would  be  complete  by  the  banishment  of  all  disease  and 
suffering  of  whatsoever  character.  Ah,  what  a  dream  !  What  a  vision  of  carnal 
attainment,  of  selfish,  material  aggrandizement,  as  opposed  to  the  spiritual  beauty 
of  a  loving,  suffering,  and  all-merciful  Messiah,  whose  mission  was  conceived  in 
the  glorification  of  the  noblest  attributes  of  human  kind,  and  whose  kingdom  was 
to  be  founded  upon  the  holy  principles  of  charity,  humility,  universal  love  and 
immeasurable  mercy,  in  direct  opposition  to  the  Jewish  beliefs  and  traditions, 
which  were  of  a  political  rather  than  a  spiritual  character. 

It  is  a  noteworthy  fact  that  the  belief  in  the  early  coming  of  the  Messiah 
was  not  entirely  confined  to  Judah,  but  was  conspicuous  in  the  teachings  of  eastern 
sects,  being  no  doubt  a  transmission  of  the  prophecy  of  Daniel  during  the  cap- 
tivity, an  inference  which  we  are  more  ready  to  assume  from  the  fact  that  the 
learned  men  of  the  East  looked  forward  to  Christ's  first  appearance  in  the  region 
about  Jerusalem.  While  there  was  a  universality  of  belief  among  the  Jews  that 
the  sacred  advent  was  near  at  hand,  there  was  a  division  of  opinion  respecting  the 
character  which  the  Messiah  would  assume.  As  already  described,  the  rabbis, 
who  composed  the  learned,  or  Pharisaic,  class  of  Jews,  generally  expected  His 
appearance  to  be  made  in  the  person  of  an  all-powerful  and  self-glorified  Prince, 
whose  authority  would  be  immediately  acknowledged  and  through  whom  the 
restoration  of  Israel  would  be  at  once  accomplished. 

But  while  the  rabbis  had  formerly  been  accepted  as  the  true  successors  of  the 
prophets,  and  to  whom  the  people  looked  for  an  interpretation  of  the  laws,  the 
immense  influence  which  their  position  gave  at  length  led  them  to  an  assumption 
of  political  as  well  as  priestly  prerogatives,  and  their  devoutness  gradually  gave 
place  to  worldly  ambitions.  At  the  time  of  Christ,  therefore,  the  Pharisees  had 
so  greatly  degenerated  that  the  very  name  had  become  a  synonym  for  deceit, 
flattery,  formalism,  bigotry,  self-complacency  and  hypocrisy,  though  a  few  there 
were  who  still  held  sacred  the  faith  of  their  fathers  and  whose  piety  continued 
unabated.     Among  such  were  Hillel,  Simeon,  Zacharias,  Gamaliel  and  his  pupil. 


i 


<  '351 


136 


FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONE. 


Paul.     The  more  devout  among  the  sect,  being  nearer  to  the  fount  of  divine 
wisdom,  and  with  a  truer  conception  of  the  character  and  purpose  of  the  promised 

Messiah,  predicted 
His  coming  in  a  form 
which  would  prevent 
any  knowledge  of  His 
Godly  attributes  until 
P^lias  should  declare 
Him  to  the  people. 
This  idea,  however, 
was  entertained  by 
very  few,  though  it 
was  the  hope  of  every 
woman  in  Israel  to 
become  the  mother  of 
the  Redeemer.  So 
great  was  this  ma- 
ternal ambition  that 
barrenness  was  a  re- 
proach which,  though 
always  so  regarded 
among  the  Jewish 
women,  was  consid- 
ered a  disgrace  mark- 
ing the  Divine  dis- 
favor at  this  period, 
and  barren  women 
were  therefore  held 
in  contempt  as  vic- 
tims of  an  unnatural 
failing.  We  have  il- 
lustrations  ox  the 
shame  which  followed 
barrenness  in  the 
apocr}^phal  stories 
which  have  been 
handed  down  to  us 
by  ancient  writers, 
concerning  the  luifruitfulness  of  Anna,  the  mother  of  Mar}-.  By  these  legends  it 
is  declared  that  Mary  was  the  daughter  of  Joachim  and  Anna,  simple  shepherd 


A  BETROTHED  JEWISH  GrRT,  OE  PAI.ESTINE.- 

Herald. 


-From    The   On  tstian 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  137 

folks,  who  married  at  an  early  age  and  passed  the  next  twenty  years  bewailing 
their  childlessness.  So  great  was  this  reproach  upon  both  that  it  is  said  Joachim 
was  ordered  away  from  the  Temple  and  his  offerings  refused,  while  Anna  was 
denied  association  with  other  women.  This  exclusion  so  troubled  her  heart  that 
she  fell  into  a  melancholy  which  even  prayer  could  not  solace.  At  length,  as  Anna 
was  weeping  one  day  her  maid  came  to  her  with  the  consoling  assurance  that  the 
I/Drd  was  about  to  take  away  her  reproach,  and  instructed  her  to  put  on  a  head- 
dress and  to  array  herself  in  her  bridal  robes  and  repair  to  the  garden  at  the  ninth 
hour.  Anna  did  as  she  was  bid,  and  taking  a  place  under  a  laurel  tree  renewed 
her  prayer  to  the  Lord  for  offspring,  among  other  things  saying,  *  *  Woe  is  me,  woe 
is  me,  who  have  no  child  !  Why  was  I  bom  that  I  should  have  become  accursed 
before  the  children  of  Israel,  and  despised,  and  scorned,  and  driven  away  from  the 
Temple  of  the  Lord  my  God  ?  "  As  she  was  praying  an  angel  came  to  her  and 
announced  the  glad  tidings  that  a  child  should  soon  be  born  to  her,  which  came  to 
pass  in  due  time,  and,  as  the  angel  had  directed,  the  babe  was  called  Mary.  When 
she  was  one  year  old  the  infant  was  blessed  by  the  priests,  and  two  years  later  was 
taken  to  the  Temple  and  there  left  with  virgins  until  she  was  twelve  years  of  age, 
at  which  time  it  was  said  she  was  possessed  of  unexampled  graces  and  a  piety 
which  was  never  before  equaled.  She  was  distinguished  for  industry,  charity, 
devotion  and  modesty,  no  less  than  for  a  melodious  voice  and  a  face  and  form  of 
incomparable  beauty.  The  more  exact  writers  who  have  attempted  to  describe  her 
person  say  she  was  slender  and  slightly  above  middle  height,  with  a  fair  com- 
plexion, blonde  hair,  rich  hazel  eyes,  ruddy  lips  and  hands  of  a  delicate  beauty, 
while  her  speech  was  so  gentle  and  winning  that  the  world  might  well  pause  to 
listen  while  she  spoke. 

All  this  may  be  tradition,  for  it  is  so  said,  but  as  the  Mother  of  Jesus  we  can 
only  picture  her  to  our  mind's  vision  as  an  embodiment  of  all  that  is  beautiful ; 
an  incarnation  of  every  charm  that  draws  us  affectionately  to  womankind  ;  with 
voice  tenderer  than  the  dove's  and  sweeter  than  lute  strings  struck  with  practiced 
hands  ;  with  tresses  rivaling  the  waves  of  imprismed  light ;  with  eyes  that  melted 
into  love,  and  mouth  that  opened  with  orisons,  and  cheeks  that  caught  the  blushes 
of  early  morning,  and  brow  that  bore  the  signet  of  God  ;  a  blessed  being,  giving 
intimation  of  the  bewildering  witchery  of  celestial  spirits,  the  choir  invisible. 


ai 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THK   ANGKlv   PROPHET. 

'E  NOW  approach  an  era  wondrous  for  the  phenomena,  natural  and 
supernatural,  which  distinguished  it.  The  culmination  of  Herod's 
reign  in  a  cloud  of  terror  was  not  the  most  remarkable  feature  attend- 
ant upon  the  induction  of  the  Christian  age,  for  there  were  portents 
of  a  surprising  nature  to  emphasize  the  expectation  of  the  Eord's  speedy  coming. 
The  hosts  of  heaven  were  singing  hallelujahs  while  burnishing  their  corselets,  and 
fiends  of  darkness  were  marshaling  their  forces  for  a  combat  with  the  celestial  army; 
a  great  battle  was  to  be  fought,  with  the  earth  this  time  as  a  battle-ground,  and 
each  side  had  out  recruiting  officers  to  bring  into  the  ranks  every  soul  that  could 
lift  an  arm  or  raise  a  voice.  Devils  were  unloosed  and  went  rioting  up  and  down 
every  highway,  seizing  the  unwary,  overturning  hallowed  institutions,  exciting  the 
desperate,  adding  frenzy  to  diabolism,  and  sowing  broadcast  the  tares  of  anarchy 
in  susceptible  minds.  But  there  was  equal  activity  among  the  sunbrowed,  the 
solar-crowned,  the  light-raimented  hosts  of  the  kingdom  of  perpetual  day.  Angel 
bands  were  resting  behind  breastworks  of  opalescent  cloud,  with  their  swords 
gleaming  like  rays  flashed  up  from  the  sea  when  the  flood  of  a  morning  sun  first 
strikes  it.  Divine  dragoons  picketed  the  Holy  I^and,  ready  of  foot  or  swift-moving 
wings  to  lend  instant  aid,  while  celestial  messengers  brought  every  part  of  Judah 
into  communication,  every  soul  of  holiness  into  rapport,  every  angel  band  into 
action  against  the  powers  of  Satan. 

The  contest  was  to  be  between  the  fiends  of  death  and  the  radiant  hosts  of 
eternal  life,  where  the  victory  should  bring  a  shroud  or  a  crown,  a  tear  or  a  laugh, 
a  lost  world  or  a  glorified  kingdom,  a  hell  of  anguish  or  a  heaven  of  perennial  joy  ; 
and  the  angels  sang,  and  the  light  of  dawn  uprose  over  the  sacred  mountains  of 
Palestine,  trembling  like  a  million  lances  in  the  rush  of  a  charge,  and  there  was  a 
great  voice  as  of  the  sea  and  the  hills  rolled  together,  ' '  Prepare  ye  the  way  for 
Him  who  cometh  to  give  you  victory  over  the  grave."  This  voice  of  promise  still 
rings  down  the  centuries,  from  out  the  wilderness,  from  over  the  embrasures  of 
Zion,  from  hill-top  of  universe  to  valley  of  planet,  across  the  bridge  that  spans  the 
holy  age  and  the  present  civilization,  from  hut  to  cathedral,  from  the  Plutonian 
shore  to  the  great  heart  of  rejuvenated  humanitj^ ;  and  the  devils  are  in  banishment, 
fiends  of  darkness  are  back  in  their  deepest  caverns,  death  itself  retired  before  that 
cry  ;  we  feel  the  thrill  of  its  echoes  transmitted  through  the  chain  that  binds  the 

(138) 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


139 


world  together,  and  through  the  ties  that  connect  generation  with  generation,  and 
through  the  bond  that  unites  us  with  God. 

The  first  heavenly  manifestation  made  to  the  people  of  Jerusalem,  and  which 
gave  bold  announcement  of  the  speedy  coming  of  the  Messiah — the  first  wonderful 
revelation  which  was  the  beginning  of  a  series  of  miracles  that  brought  the  world 
into  the  Divine  presence — occurred  in  the  Holy  Temple  under  circumstances  which 
singularly  impress  us  with  the  favor  in 
which  God  still  held  that  ancient  shrine, 
profaned  as  it  had  been  by  a  thousand  ex- 
cesses, a  thousand  crimes,  and  the  sacri- 
lege of  its  priestl}^  votaries,  and  the  kingly 
voluptuaries  who  enriched  themselves  by 
the  spoliation  of  its  treasures.  But  sacri- 
lege of  hypocrites  and  plunder  of  kings  had 
not  wholly  destroyed  the  germ  of  right- 
eousness, which  was  still  nourished  by  a 
few  devout  priests  who  kept  fresh  the  zeal 
of  the  old  prophets,  and  were  still  long- 
ing, ever  hopeful,  firm-believing  in  an  early 
fulfillment  of  the  Messianic  prophecies. 
The  Temple  had  been  recently  enlarged 
and  finished  in  a  stj-le  of  grandeur  sur- 
passing even  Solomonic  magnificence,  by 
the  munificent  expenditures  of  Herod,  who 
sought  b}'  this  exhibition  of  favor  to  the 
Jewish  religion  to  free  himself  from  the 
hatred  and  loathing  of  his  subjects.  But 
though  gilded  by  impious  hands  the  Tem- 
ple was  dedicated  to  God,  and  the  service 
therein  was  performed  by  a  holy  order  of 
the  priesthood  ;  hence  in  this  sanctuary, 
which  held  the  fading  glory  of  Judah,  was  ^  lkvite  or  jewish  priivST. 

given  a  manifestation  of  the  Divine  presence  and  a  prophecy  which  in  its  fulfill- 
ment would  bring  the  world  to  repentance. 

The  Angel's  Annunciation. 

The  Jewish  religion  was  always  distinguished  for  impressive  ceremonial,  and 
the  services  performed  in  the  Temple  were  a  very  elaboration  of  formulary  blended 
with  the  spectacular.  Sacrifices  constituted  a  prime  essential  of  Hebraic  worship, 
and  on  such  occasions  as  the  celebration  of  the  Passover  and  Day  of  Atonement, 


I40  FROM    MANGER  TO  THRONE. 

in  addition  to  other  ceremonials,  sacrifices  were  offered  at  both  the  morning  and 
evening  services.  So  numerous  and  exacting  were  the  duties  of  the  Temple  priests 
that  a  great  number  were  employed  who,  however,  served  in  turn,  coming  from 
all  parts  of  Judah  and  being  housed  in  the  Temple  during  the  short  periods  of  their 
respective  ministrations. 

Among  the  lower  class  of  priests  was  one  Zacharias,  whose  home  was  near 
Hebron,  an  aged  man  with  a  wife  named  Elizabeth,  who  had  never  borne  any 
children.  As  barrenness  was  a  reproach  among  the  Jews,  as  already  explained, 
Zacharias  and  Elizabeth,  like  others  of  their  people  who  felt  the  humiliation  of 
childlessness,  bewailed  their  misfortune,  and  though  both  were  now  grown  old  they 
had  not  yet  passed  that  age  when  expectation  and  prayers  for  fruitfulness  were 
abandoned.  Zacharias  was  called  to  perform  a  priestly  office  in  the  Temple  and  at 
a  casting  of  lots,  as  was  customary,  the  duty  fell  to  him  of  placing  incense 
on  the  coals  of  the  altar  of  sacrifice  and  then  returning  from  the  sanctuary  to  the 
awaiting  worshipers  outside,  whom  he  was  to  lead  in  prayer,  or  dismiss  with 
benediction. 

This  duty  was  considered  so  sacred  and  the  honor  of  its  execution  so  great 
that  no  priest  might  perform  it  more  than  once,  hence  he  to  whom  the  office 
chanced  by  lot  to  fall  was  esteemed  most  highly  blessed.  In  the  ministrations 
which  Zacharias  was  thus  called  to  perform,  he  had  an  assistant  who  heaped  up 
the  coals  on  the  altar  while  incense  was  being  sprinkled  on  the  flames,  which  sent 
up  a  cloud  of  fragrance  typical  of  the  prayers  that  were  now  to  be  offered  up  to 
Jehovah  by  all  devout  Jews  wherever  they  might  be  gathered.  This  being  done, 
the  assistant  retired,  leaving  the  priest  before  the  veil  of  the  Holy  of  Holies  in 
prayer  for  the  restoration  of  Israel  through  the  power  of  the  promised  Messiah. 

As  Zacharias  stood  praying  before  the  altar,  sending  up  a  soulful  invocation 
for  the  redemption  of  his  people  from  their  sins,  as  well  as  from  the  oppression  of 
their  Roman  masters,  and  adding  a  supplication  that  God  might  be  pleased  to  take 
away  the  reproach  of  his  childlessness,  in  the  midst  of  his  fervid  petitioning  he 
was  arrested  by  the  sight  of  a  wondrous  vision  !  Was  it  a  vision  or  creation  ? 
Was  it  the  materialization  of  pious  ambition,  or  a  fantasy  of  the  mind  weakened 
by  religious  asceticism  ?  Was  it  the  bloom  of  unwearying  prayer  and  hope,  or  the 
blasted  bud  of  crushed  aspiration  ?  Perhaps  Zacharias  himself  doubted  the  reality 
of  his  angelic  visitor,  but  from  out  a  dreamy  comprehension  the  holy  priest 
awakened  to  a  true  perception  of  his  celestial  visitor.  There,  on  the  right  side  of 
the  altar,  at  the  place  of-  honor,  stood  the  radiant  form  of  the  great  archangel 
Gabriel,  who,  to  give  substance  to  the  day-dream  of  Zacharias,  and  to  declare  his 
divine  mission,  thus  spoke  : 

"  Fear  not,  Zacharias  ;  for  thy  prayer  is  heard  •  and  thy  wife  Elizabeth  shall 
bear  a  son,  and  thou  slialt  call  his  name  John. 


FROM    MANGER   TO  THRONE. 


141 


0  «0 


vmm.i 


INCENSE   BURNER,    USED   IN  THE   TEMPLE. 


"  And  thou  shalt  have  joy  and  glad- 
ness ;  and  many  shall  rejoice  at  his  birth. 
For  he  shall  be  great  in  the  sight  of  the 
Lord,  and  shall  drink  neither  wine  nor 
strong  drink  ;  and  he  shall  be  filled  with 
the  Holy  Ghost  even  from  his  mother's 
womb. 

' '  And  many  of  the  children  of  Is- 
rael shall  he  turn  to  the  Lord  their  God. 
And  he  shall  go  before  Him  in  the  .spirit 
and  power  of  Elias,  to  turn  the  hearts  of 
the  parents  to  the  children,  and  the  diso- 
bedient to  the  wisdom  of  the  just ;  to 
make  ready  a  people  prepared  for  the 
Lord." 

What  impression  these  words  made 
upon  Zacharias  is  indicated  by  his  reply. 
Evidently  still  doubting  the  substantiality 
of  the  vision,  but  catching  a  glimpse, 
through  his  excited  mentality,  of  the  celestial  personality,  he  ventured  to  inquire  : 
"  Whereby  shall  I  know  this?  "     Now  was  Gabriel's  opportunity  to  prove  to  the 

half-dreaming  priest  the  verity  of  the  sa- 
cred presence,  which  he  embraced  by  say- 
ing :  ' '  Thou  shalt  be  dumb  and  not  be 
able  to  speak  until  the  day  that  these 
things  shall  be  performed,  because  thou 
believest  not  my  words. ' '  The  evidences 
of  the  senses  now  came  full  upon  Zacha- 
rias, for  on  the  instant  his  tongue  lost  its 
cunning,  and  when  the  angel  disappeared 
and  Zacharias  came  out  of  the  Temple 
to  the  long-waiting  people,  who  lingered 
to  receive  his  blessing,  he  was  voiceless 
and  trembling  with  excitement  of  exulta- 
tion. By  signs  only  was  he  able  to  make 
known  to  the  worshipers  what  had  be- 
fallen him,  and  after  dismissing  them,  his 
two  weeks  of  ministration  being  ended, 
he  left  Jerusalem  and  hastened  back  to 
GOLDEN  LAMP,  USED  IN  THE  TEMPLE.       his   liomc,   in    the   region  of  Hebron,  to 


iU2 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONK. 


H3 


acquaint  Elizabeth  with  the  annouiicenieut  of  the  divine  herald.  In  the  quiet 
retreat  of  that  liapp)'  mountain  home  the  aged  prie.st  and  his  wife  dwelt  in 
pious  connnunion  until  the  appointed  time,  when  Elizabeth  was  delivered  of  a 
son  whom  she  called  John,  but  her  relatives  remonstrated  against  this  depar- 
ture from  the  almost  invariable  custom  of  naming  the  first-born  male  child  after 
the  father,  and  hence  they  insisted  that  the  babe  should  be  called  Zacharias.  The 
matter  was  at  length  referred  to  Zacharias,  who  being  yet  speechless  a.sked  for 
writing  material,  which  being  given  him  he  signified  his  preference  by  writing  the 
name  John,  and  so  the  babe  was  christened.  Immediately  the  tongue  of  Zacharias 
was  loosed  and  he  fell  to  uttering  praises  to  God  and  to  prophesying  the  speedy 
•coming  of  the  Messiah,  and  that  John  should  be  a  forerunner  of  the  Christ  calling 
the  world  to  repentance,  saying  : 

"  And  thou,  child,  shalt  be  called  the  prophet  of  the  Highest  :  for  thou  shalt 
^o  before  the  face  of  the  Eord  to  prepare  his  ways.  To  give  knowledge  of  salva- 
tion unto  his  people  by  the  remission  of  their  sins,  through  the  tender  mercy  of 
■our  God. ' ' 

No  further  mention  is  made  of  John,  beyond  the  announcement  that  he  waxed 
strong  and  retired  into  the  wilderness  to  prepare  himself  for  the  ministry-, 
until  the  day  of  his  issuing  forth  in  the  full  strength  of  manhood  and  spiritual 
outpouring  as  a  mighty  evangelist  preparing  the  way  for  Jesus,  whom  he  came  to 
<ieclare.  . 


-"^i 


CHAPTER  V. 

MARY,  THE    BI^ESSED    AMONG   WOMEN. 

GHE  angel's  annunciation  in  the  Temple,  and  the  miraculous  events 
which  followed  up  to  the  naming  of  John,  had  impressed  the  people 
that  a  manifestation  of  divine  favor  would  soon  be  repeated,  for  signs 
and  portents  seemed  to  re-enforce  the  prophecies  of  a  speedy  fulfillment 
of  the  law  and  a  restoration  of  Israel.  But  being  in  a  condition  of  abject  subjec- 
tion to  Roman  censors,  tax-gatherers,  and  oppressors  of  conscience,  liberty  and 
religious  toleration,  the  Jews  looked  forward  not  only  to  their  liberation  but  to  the 
re- establishment  of  their  power,  which  they  believed  would  extend  in  undisputed 
acknowledgment  over  all  the  world.  Their  hopes  and  beliefs  were  therefore  based 
on  those  prophecies  which  they  interpreted,  in  a  spirit  of  arrogance  and  vanity,  as 
declarations  that  God  would  descend  upon  the  earth  riding  in  a  chariot  of  ineffable 
glory,  and,  with  swoop  of  majesty,  sweep  away  their  enemies  and  raise  up  Judah 
as  master  of  the  world.  How  vain  are  the  conceptions  of  the  haughty,  how  dis- 
appointing the  aspirations  of  the  arrogant,  how  aggravating  the  ambitions  of  the 
selfish  and  vain- glorious  ! 

Instead  of  coming  with  trumpet  blare,  upborne  on  golden  cloud  and  moving 
with  swift  speed  on  furious  wind  ;  instead  of  drawing  back  the  empurpled  canopy 
of  heaven  and  dashing  out  upon  His  footstool  with  lances  forged  from  the  light- 
ning, and  the  elements  of  fire  and  fury  of  the  mighty  deep  gathered  up  with  which 
to  overwhelm  the  enemies  of  Israel,  God  chose  to  reveal  not  Himself,  nor  to  give 
exhibition  of  wrathful  spirit,  nor  make  any  bewildering  manifestations  of  martial 
pomp. 

Peace  had  spread  her  white  sails ;  war  had  fled  the  land,  and  though  there 
might  have  been  oppression,  the  rod  should  not  be  broken  by  battle-axe,  nor  Czar 
of  persecution  be  dethroned  by  halberd  or  catapult.  Instead  of  a  God  of  war  there 
was  sent  a  messenger  of  peace,  white-robed  and  bejeweled  with  light ;  star-crowned, 
joy-crested,  with  the  sweet  odors  of  heaven  fresh  upon  His  raiment  and  the  radi- 
ance of  eternal  morning  in  His  face.  Nor  did  this  holy  nuncio  bear  tidings  to 
king  or  priest,  or  spread  His  white  pinions  in  splendid  palace  or  magnificent  temple, 
but  dropped  with  the  ease  of  thistle-down,  and  with  the  glory  that  a  rainbow  kisses 
the  earth,  before  an  Israelitish  maid  of  royal  blood  but  low  estate,  and  gave  to  her 
such  glorious  message  as  ear  of  woman  hath  not  heard  besides. 

(144) 


^  1 45 


146  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

Zacharias  and  Elizabeth  were  rejoicing  in  their  humble  Hebron  mountain- 
home  over  the  blessings  which  Gabriel  had  declared  to  them,  and  which  a  double 
divine  manifestation  had  convinced  them  would  soon  be  theirs,  feeling,  believing, 
that  in  all  the  world  there  was  no  couple  so  happy,  so  blessed  as  they.  But  one 
hundred  miles  north  of  Hebron  an  event  was  about  to  occur  which  would  over- 
shadow in  importance  and  transcend  in  joy  that  which  brought  the  aged  priest  and 
his  wife  such  ecstasy.  In  the  small  village  of  Nazareth  there  lived  at  the  time  a 
Jew  named  Joseph,  who,  though  poor  and  of  such  small  repute  among  his  people 
that  he  existed  only  in  the  shadow  of  his  connections,  was  yet  of  the  royal  blood, 
a  direct  descendant  of  David  and  in  the  line  of  kingly  succession,  but  who  was  in 
obscurity  through  the  power  of  the  Romans  who  had  destroyed  the  Davidic  dynasty. 
In  this  same  small  village  there  dwelt  also  a  sweet  maiden  named  Mary,  who  was 
likewise  of  royal  blood,  but  whose  graces  of  person  and  mind  made  her  queen 
forever  of  human  kind  ;  the  sublime  creation  of  God,  the  highest  type  of  beauty 
and  perfection,  an  embodiment  of  our  transcendent  conceptions  of  the  heavenly  ; 
a  being  whose  attributes  were  of  the  earth,  saintly,  and  of  the  celestial,  seraphic  ; 
a  maid  in  whose  eyes  was  the  tender  blue  of  the  violet,  with  the  alabaster  of  the 
lily  on  her  brow,  the  carmine  of  the  rose  on  her  cheek,  the  red  sweetness  of  the 
pink  on  her  lips.  Her  whole  being  a  symphony,  and  her  character  a  chorus  of 
divine  graces.  The  apocr3^plial  writers  and  holy  traditions  represent  her  as  no  less 
heavenly,  with  a  face  in  which  the  finger  of  God  had  marked  the  lines  of  beauty 
and  then  placed  the  seal  of  glory  on  her  head.  Holy  Mary  !  It  is  this  dear  con- 
ception which  makes  us  gaze  with  bursting  joy  through  the  twilight  of  centuries 
at  thy  enravishing  charms  of  person  and  the  radiance  of  thy  reverence,  humility 

and  holiness. 

Legends  respecting  Mary. 

It  is  related  by  non-canonical  writers  that  when  Mary  was  six  months  old  she 
was  able  to  walk,  but  her  first  tottering  footsteps  were  forbidden  by  Anna,  her 
mother,  who  made  a  vow  that  the  child  should  not  again  put  her  feet  to  the  earth 
until  she  had  been  led  into  the  Temple.  When  the  first  year  of  Mary's  life  was 
ended  Joachim,  her  father,  gave  a  grand  banquet,  to  which  he  invited  not  only  his 
friends  but  many  distinguished  priests  and  scribes  also,  who,  after  the  feasting,  gave 
their  blessings  to  the  child  and  consecrated  her  for  such  holy  purpose  as  would  make 
her  name  famous  for  all  time.  She  was  then  consigned  to  a  sanctuary  where  she 
remained  until  her  fourth  year,  when  she  was  taken  to  the  Temple  and  there  placed 
with  the  virgins.  Here  her  deportment  and  demeanor  were  angelic,  devoting  her 
hours  to  praying  and  spinning  until  after  her  twelfth  year,  when  her  piety  was  so 
great  that  angels  came  each  day  to  feed  her,  and  to  assist  in  her  instructions,  by 
which  aid  she  became  more  learned  in  the  law  and  the  prophecies  than  any 
rabbi  who  ministered  in  the  Temple.     Not  only  did  she  thus  show  a  marvelous 


FROM   MANGER   TO  THRONE. 


H7 


U 


accomplishment,  but  her  beauty,  graces  and  melodious  voice  were  no  less  remark- 
able, so  that  birds  came  flocking  about  her,  while  beasts  of  every  kind  accepted  her 
mistressship  and  gamboled  in  an  ecstasy  of  rejoicement  at  her  presence. 

The  Betrothment. 

When  Mary  came 
out  of  the  congrega- 
tion of  the  virgins, 
.schooled  in  the  law, 
and  sanctified  in  the 
holy  graces,  she  took 
upon  herself  yet 
higher  duties  in  the 
natural  progression 
of  her  career  towards 
a  fulfillment  of  her 
divine  mission.  How 
she  met  Joseph,  who 
was  probably  much 
her  senior,  we  know 
not,  unless  tradition 
reports  the  circum- 
stances truly,  but  that 
the  two  exchanged 
loving  confidences, 
declared  their  affec- 
tion, vowed  their  de- 
votion, and  pledged 
their  ever  unchang- 
ing love,  we  have  the 
testimonies  of  the 
apostles  as  well  as  of 
the  ages.  It  was 
love's  bright  dream 
materialized  w  h  e  n 
they  .sealed  their  pledges  and  united  their  lives  with  the  bond  of  betrothment, 
which  quickly  followed  their  mutual  declarations.  The  service  of  betrothment 
was  no  less  sacred  and  binding  than  that  of  marriage  itself,  being  so  recog- 
ni/x'd  by  Jewish  custom  of  the  time,  which  required  that  the  ceremony  should 
be  performed  in  the  presence  of  the  bride's  parents.     On  such  an  occasion  the 


M^''^ 
-^^^~' 


r 


THK    ANNUNCIATION. 


148  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

bridegroom  stood  beside  his  bride  and  the  two  made  their  acknowledgments  before 
witnesses,  the  betrothment  being  completed  by  the  gift  of  a  piece  of  money  from  the 
groom  to  his  bride.  After  this  performance  the  two  were  regarded  as  husband  and 
wife,  though  another  ceremony  was.  required  some  time  within  the  year  to  com- 
plete the  marriage.  During  this  interval  the  bride  remained  with  her  parents 
or  guardians,  to  whom  she  continued  to  give  her  services,  but  no  final  separa- 
tion of  the  couple  thus  betrothed  could  be  made  without  a  bill  of  divorcement. 

Gabriel's  Announcement  to  Mary. 

It  was  during  this  brief  period  of  betrothment  that  the  celestial  messenger 
who  had  appeared  to  Zacharias  six  months  before -came  like  a  holy  benediction 
to  Mary  in  her  chamber,  bringing  tidings  which  were  no  less  joyful  because  surpris- 
ing. Assuming  the  shape  of  a  man,  Gabriel  stood  suddenly  before  the  devout  maid, 
and  thus  saluted  her:  "Hail,  thou  that  art  highly  favored;  the  Lord  is  with 
thee  :  Blessed  art  thou  among  women  !  "  Startled  by  the  appearance,  in  which 
she  saw  only  a  material  form,  Mary  was  troubled  to  discover  the  real  import  of 
Gabriel's  words  and  purpose,  whereupon  the  angel  spoke  this  blessed  and  reas- 
suring promise:  "Fear  not,  Mary,  for  thou  hast  found  favor  with  God,  and 
behold  thou  shalt  conceive  .  .  .  and  bring  forth  a  Son  ;  and  thou  shalt  call 
His  name  Jesus.  He  shall  be  great,  and  shall  be  called  the  Son  of  the  Highest, 
and  the  Lord  God  shall  give  unto  Him  the  throne  of  His  father  David  ;  and 
He  shall  reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob  forever  ;  and  of  His  kingdom  there  shall 
be  no  end.  " 

With  childlike  innocence,  but  without  positive  disbelief,  such  as  Zacharias 
had  exhibited,  Mary  inquiringly  answered,  as  if  seeking  for  explanation  of  an 
event  which  she  was  now  to  look  forward  to,  "  How  shall  this  be?  "  She  was 
thoroughly  versed  in  the  prophecies  respecting  a  Messiah  ;  she  was  acquainted 
with  the  presages  of  the  rabbis,  and  being  of  a  receptive  nature,  with  strong 
imbuement  of  religious  instinct,  which  was  to  her  a  sweet  distillment  of  joy, 
she  was  ready  to  believe  that  the  law  of  nature  was  simply  God's  law  subject 
to  His  will,  and  hence  Gabriel's  message  excited  her  joyful  curiosity  but  not 
her  unbelief.  Thus  she  asked,  as  a  child  might  seek  an  explanation  of  some- 
thing which  it  sees  but  does  not  understand,  ' '  How  shall  this  be  ?  "  But  there 
was  more  to  be  desired  than  the  assurance  that  a  miracle  was  about  to  be  per- 
formed, Mary  had  recently  been  betrothed  to  Joseph,  and,  according  to  the 
law  of  Moses,  an  act  of  unfaithfulness  to  the  pledge  of  fidelity  subjected  the 
woman  to  the  penalty  of  death  by  stoning.  This  law,  however,  had  fallen  into 
desuetude,  but  a  scarcely  less  rigorous  punishment  took  the  place  of  the  capital 
penalty,  in  that  the  woman  became  an  object  of  public  opprobrium,  an  outcast, 
a  social  leper,  a  criminal  to  be  loathed  by  all  respectable  persons.     To  a  sensitive 


FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE.  i49 

nature  like  Mary's,  whose  life  was  one  of  singular  purity  and  deeply 
religious  conviction,  a  cloud  upon  her  chastity  was  more  awful  than  the  shadow 
of  death  itself.  Thus,  while  receiving  the  heavenly  messenger  with  a  feeling 
of  rapture  subdued  by  the  possibility  of  reproach,  she  inquired,  "How  shall 
this  be?"  How  shall  a  maid  be  a  mother;  how  shall  a  handmaid,  even  of 
the  Lord,  escape  the  flings  of  accusers,  the  contumely  of  those  who  make  infi- 
delity an  unpardonable  iniquity  ;  how  shall  she  avoid  the  scorn  of  her  own  house- 
hold, the  condemnation  of  him  whom  she  had  followed  with  first  pledges  at  the 
marriage  altar?     Thus  did  she  eagerly  ask,  "  How  shall  this  be?  " 

Gabriel  perceived  the  troubled  feelings  that  filled  Mary's  heart,  the  joy  coupled 
with  desire  to  know  quickly  how  she  should  escape  the  shadow  of  impurity  which 
might  be  thrown  upon  her  by  those  who  knew  her  best,  for  he  hastened  to  reassure 
her,  by  saying  : 

"  The  Holy  Ghost  shall  come  upon  thee  :  and  the  power  of  the  Highest  shall 
overshadow  thee  !  therefore  also  that  Holy  Thing  which  shall  be  born  of  thee,  shall 
be  called  the  Son  of  God. ' '  This  explanation  calmed  her  perturbations,  for  she  was 
in  a  sinless  condition,  having  transgressed  no  law,  so  that  she  realized  the  birth  of 
a  child  could  come  to  her  only  through  a  direct  manifestation  of  God,  and  the  fact 
would  be  a  culminating  demonstration  of  the  Divine  favor  in  her  behalf.  With 
perfect  resignation  and  composure  she  therefore  answered,  "  Behold  the  handmaid 
of  the  Lord  ;  be  it  unto  me  according  to  thy  word. ' ' 

When  we  consider  the  general  expectancy  of  the  time  as  to  the  early  coming 
of  the  Messiah,  and  the  aspiration  of  every  Jewess  to  become  the  mother  of  the 
promised  Saviour,  we  can  gain  some  faint  conception  of  the  overflowing  joy  with 
which  Mary  received  the  holy  message,  the  celestial  glory  that  irradiated  her  heart, 
the  heavenly  transports  that  lifted  and  dazzled  her  soul. 

The  very  intimation  of  motherhood  delights  every  pure  woman,  while  the 
first  pulsation  of  that  life  which  is  a  part  of  her  arouses  an  energy  and  creates  a 
happiness  which  thrills  the  heart  as  no  other  feeling  can.  With  the  assurances 
of  the  angel,  which  appealed  so  strongly  to  her  faith,  the  utterance  of  her  name 
in  kindly  familiarity,  and  the  declaration  that  her  cousin,  Elizabeth,  had  received 
a  like  manifestation  of  Divine  favor,  and  three  months  hence  would  bear  a  son, 
greatly  intensified  her  faith  and  anticipations. 

The  Meeting  between  Mary  and  Elizabeth. 

There  was  now  a  delightful  secret  in  the  breasts  of  Mary  and  Elizabeth,  and 
which  we  must  believe  they  were  anxious  to  divulge  to  one  another.  Mar>'  indeed 
had  been  told  of  the  great  joy  that  was  soon  to  be  realized  by  her  aged  and  long- 
barren  cousin,  but  she  wanted  confirmation  of  the  annunciation  from  Elizabeth's 
own  lips,  and  was  perhaps  more  anxious  to  bear  the  news  of  her  own  good  fortune 


I  go  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

to  her  beloved  kinswoman,  that  together  they  might  rejoice  as  the  most  highly 
blessed  of  womankind.  Actuated  by  this  overmastering  desire  Mary  made  quick 
preparation  to  visit  her  aged  cousin,  whose  home,  somewhere  in  the  hills  near 
Hebron,  was  fully  one  hundred  miles  distant  from  Nazareth. 


THE  vrsir  TO  KUZABi  iH  —1  loiu  lliL  Pauitiugby  Rubens. 
Mary  must  have  been  indeed  a  resolute  woman  to  undertake  such  a  journey. 
There  was  no  railroad  train,   nor  richly  upholstered  palanquin  at   her  service; 
probably   not  even  a  camel   for  one  so  poor  as  she  to  mount.     Perhaps  a  little 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  151 

burro,  the  cheapest  as  well  as  the  most  inconvenient  means  of  transportation  in 
all  Palestine,  might  have  been  at  her  disposal.  But  the  way  was  not  only  long, 
the  route  dreary  and  robber-infested,  her  comforts  few  as  the  discomforts  were 
plentiful,  but  the  road  was  rock-bestrewn,  mountain  clasping  hand  with  mountain, 
and  valley  tumbling  down  into  gorges,  dashing  streams  swelling  into  rivers  and 
then  halting  before  barren  stretches  or  overteeming  wadys.  We  do  not  know  that 
this  poor  but  blessed  woman  had  even  the  company  of  a  guide,  or  the  help  of 
a  relative,  or  the  encouragement  of  travelers  passing  over  the  same  route.  But 
she  had  the  greater  comforter,  guide  and  companion,  a  heart  filled  with  joyful 
expectancy  and  heavenly  assurance,  as  she  went  into  the  hill  country  with  haste 
to  communicate  and  to  receive  glad  tidings  that  the  holy  messenger  had  announced 
to  her. 

The  New  Testament  record  is  brief,  and  only  Luke  has  left  even  a  bare 
statement  of  the  annunciation  and  a«few  lines  descriptive  of  the  events  which 
followed  ;  but  the  omission  of  more  extended  particulars  may  be  supplied  by  our 
imaginations,  which  appear  as  natural  conclusions  based  on  events  which  followed 
immediately  after  the  nativity.  If  angels,  like  a  mighty  host,  appeared  to  Elisha  ; 
if  a  voice  was  heard  by  Hagar  to  save  her  child  from  thirst ;  if  Gabriel  put  on 
an  incarnate  form  to  be  a  messenger  from  God  ;  if  radiant  beings  sang  hallelujahs 
in  the  skies  and  called  the  startled  shepherds  to  Bethlehem  ;  if  angel  hands  drew 
back  the  prison  bars  and  gave  release  to  Peter,  then  surely  angels  must  have  been 
companions  of  Marj'  on  this  long  journey  ;  angel  bands  that  were  sent  as  a  watch, 
to  cheer  and  protect,  to  convert  a  harsh  road  into  an  embowered  and  easy  way  ; 
to  pluck  out  the  stones  and  plant  violets  in  their  places  ;  to  hide  the  natural  dif- 
ficulties under  embankments  of  sweet  marjorams  and  lilies  and  clematis  ;  to  lade 
the  air  with  perfume  and  melody,  and  to  make  the  winds  musical  with  praise  and 
thank  offerings.  May  we  not  suppose  that  God  was  as  favorable  to  Mary  on 
this  journey  as  He  was  to  Jacob  or  to  Joshua?     His  after-care  proves  it. 

And  so  in  due  time  Mary  arrived  at  the  humble  house  of  Zacharias,  and 
entering  therein  was  received  by  Elizabeth  with  evidences  of  illimitable  joy, 
which  was  as  quickly  succeeded  by  a  transport  of  heavenly  delight  as  the  Holy 
Spirit  revealed  to  her,  by  a  sudden  inspiration,  "the  Mother  of  her  Lord."  At 
the  same  moment  the  thrill  of  motherhood  quickened  her  appreciation  of  the 
blessing  which  had  come  upon  herself  and  her  praises  awoke  in  Mar>^  the  sublime 
poetry  of  an  overjoyed  soul,  which  found  expression  in  one  of  the  most  picturesque 
lyrics  to  be  found  in  either  the  Old  or  New  Testament. 

The  Return  to  Nazareth  and  Doubts  of  Joseph. 

Mar\'  remained  with  her  relatives,  in  or  near  Hebron,  for  a  period  of  nearly 
three  months,  and  then  returned  to  Nazareth.      We  are  not  told  wliv  .she  did  not 


152  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

defer  her  departure  for  home  until  after  the  birth  of  EHzabeth's  child,  and  the 
cause  is  shrouded  in  much  doubt.  If  she  abode  with  her  cousin  for  three  months 
the  birth  of  John  must  have  been  near  at  hand  when  she  left,  and  in  our  ignorance 
of  the  circumstances  which  prompted  her  seemingly  sudden  return  to  Nazareth, 
we  wonder  that  she  did  not  remain  with  her  aged  cousin  through  so  critical  a  period, 
especially  as  she  must  have  believed  that  some  supernatural  manifestation  would 
occur  at,  or  immediately  following,  the  birth.  But  we  must  not  ignore  the  con- 
dition of  Mary's  mind  at  this  time,  "While  her  soul  was  in  exaltation  there  was 
possibly  depression  mingled  with  her  joy.  She  had  not  communicated  the  tidings 
of  promised  motherhood  to  Joseph,  nor  to  her  relatives  in  Nazareth.  Perhaps 
the  date  of  her  public  marriage  was  some  months  yet  in  the  future,  as  the  services 
of  the  betrothment  generally  preceded  the  actual  marriage  one  year,  but  she  had 
many  duties  to  perform,  many  friends  and  relatives  to  apprise  of  her  condition, 
and  no  doubt  she  was  under  obligations  which  compelled  her  to  return  within  the 
period  she  had  spent  with  Elizabeth.  Again,  it  may  be  that  her  marriage  to  Joseph 
had  been  fixed  to  occur  on  a  date  which  was  very  near  at  hand  ;  so  that  we  may 
surmise  many  reasons  for  her  abrupt  departure. 

Mary's  journey  on  her  return  to  Nazareth  was  probably  accomplished  in  the 
same  manner  and  under  the  same  gracious  auspices  and  angelic  escort  as  her  trip 
to  Hebron.  She  passed  through  the  same  memorable  valleys,  over  the  same  his- 
torical mountains,  and  by  the  same  sacred  places  made  illustrious  by  mighty  events 
in  the  history  of  her  people.  On  the  route  she  no  doubt  saw  the  field  of  Mach- 
pelah,  where  Abraham  and  his  spouse  were  buried,  and  the  famous  oak  under 
which  the  patriarch  often  sat ;  there  lay  Megiddo  where  Josiah  was  sacrificed,  and 
lofty  Tabor  from  whence  Barak  rushed  down  in  fiery  fury  upon  Sisera  ;  and  the 
great  plain  of  Esdraelon,  where  Sisera's  army  was  overthrown  ;  along  her  path 
babbled  the  waters  of  the  Kishon,  which  had  centuries  before  borne  the  blood  of 
the  false  prophets  to  the  sea.  These  places  must  have  aroused  in  her  receptive 
nature  the  greatest  enthusiasm,  but  what  must  have  been  her  feelings  when 
passing  through  the  paradisiacal  valley  of  Shechem  ?  Here  seemed  to  linger  the 
spirit  of  ancient  Israel ;  here  was  the  burnt-offering  place  of  the  nation,  the  most 
sacred  ground  of  the  tribe.  On  the  south  side  of  the  valley  lay  Mount  Gerizim, 
eight  hundred  feet  high,  from  which  was  promulgated  the  Law  anew,  and  bless- 
ings upon  Israel ;  and  Mount  Ebal  on  the  north,  upon  which  Moses  commanded 
stones  to  be  set  up  with  words  of  the  I^aw  thereon,  and  from  whence  curses  were 
called  down  by  the  people  if  they  disobeyed  Jehovah.  Here  Joshua  assembled 
the  people  for  his  last  counsel ;  here  the  ten  tribes  renounced  the  house  of  David, 
In  this  valley  Abraham  first  pitched  his  tent  and  built  an  altar  under  the  oak  of 
Moreh,  when  on  his  way  to  the  land  of  promise.  Here  was  the  well  of  Jacob,  at 
which  Mary  may  have  quenched  her  thirst,  and  paused  to  reflect  on  the  wonderful 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE.  153 

changes  that  had  occurred  since  Shechem  was  made  a  place  of  refuge,  and  since 
Joseph  was  buried  in  the  field  near  by. 

For  a  hundred  prodigious  reasons  this  journey  between  Nazareth  and  Hebron 
was  a  remarkable  one  to  Mary,  and  must  have  made  a  lasting  impression  upon 
her,  which  she  seems  to  have  voiced  directly  upon  her  meeting  with  Elizabeth. 
But  when  she  had  returned  to  Nazareth  the  patriotic  feelings  excited  by  the  scenes 
of  her  nation's  history  became  subdued  under  the  influence  of  a  realization  of  her 
condition  and  relation  to  Joseph.  Her  spiritual  nature  was  aflame  with  joy,  while 
her  still  conscious  material  existence  was  disturbed  by  a  reflection  on  the  call  of 
God,  which  had  placed  her  in  a  compromising  position  before  her  affianced,  as  well 
as  before  her  relatives  and  friends.  The  secret  must  soon  declare  itself,  and  this 
realization,  aided  by  promptings  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  a  consciousness  of  her 
own  purity,  led  to  a  revelation  of  the  wonderful  manifestation  which  the  Eord 
had  made  to  and  through  her.  Although  Mary  must  have  related  the  strange  facts 
with  virtuous  speech,  Joseph  was  ill-inclined  to  accept  with  confidence  the  truth 
of  her  assertion,  and  therefore  for  a  time  secretly,  within  himself,  thought  that  his 
honor  required  him  to  withdraw  the  avowals  which  he  had  made  at  the  ceremonial 
of  betrothment.  But  while  doubting,  he  was  probably  not  without  some  faith 
in  the  story  of  Mary  ;  or  his  love  for  her  was  so  great  as  to  give  a  partial 
condonement  of  her  fault,  hence  he  was  anxious  to  protect  her  against  oppro- 
brium, and  which  he  accordingly  resolved  to  do  by  a  quiet  absolvement  of  his 
vows,  instead  of  publicly  applying  for  a  bill  of  divorce.  It  may  be  that  his 
purpose  was  rather  to  defer  a  consummation  of  the  marriage  until  such  a  time 
as  he  might  be  able  to  discover  the  truth  of  her  declarations,  than  to  renounce 
her  entirely.  But  God  soon  came  to  the  relief  of  the  sorrowing  lovers  by 
sending  an  angel  to  Joseph,  in  a  dream,  with  these  cheering  words:  "Joseph, 
thou  son  of  David,  fear  not  to  take  unto  thee  Mar>'  thy  wife :  for  that  which 
is  conceived  in  her  is  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  etc.  In  this  speech  we  observe  the 
custom  of  the  country  as  well  as  the  relation  which,  in  God's  sight,  Mary 
bore  to  Joseph,  for  the  angel  distinctly  calls  Mary  /lis  wife,  which  the  cere- 
mony of  betrothment,  under  the  Jewish  law,  instituted  and  virtually  accomplished. 

Recognizing  the  angelic  injunction  and  assurance,  Joseph  and  Mary  imme- 
diately perfected  their  marriage,  and  both  rejoiced  in  the  double  blessing  which 
they  had  received  at  the  hand  of  God. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

THE    ROUGH    CRADIvE    OF   OUR    KING. 

GHE  second  and  complete  marriage  ceremony  which  brought  Mary  and 
Joseph  into  holy  relationship  under  the  law,  was  performed,  no  doubt, 
very  soon  after  Mary's  return  to  Nazareth.  Our  sense  of  justice  will 
not  permit  us  to  believe  that  the  Lord  long  deferred  His  revelation 
of  the  divine  conception,  or  that  Joseph  was  willing  to  permit  his  betrothed  to  rest 
imder  the  cloud  of  imputation  which  a  prompt  celebration  of  the  marriage  would 
remove.  Poor  in  worldly  possessions,  he  was  rich  in  noble  attributes  ;  despoiled 
of  a  kingly  inheritance,  he  was  the  more  appreciative  of  the  holy  qualities  of  honor, 
and  a  compassion  for  the  infirmities  of  ambition  ;  lowly  in  his  estate,  he  was  more 
receptive  to  the  voice  of  conscience,  more  prompt  in  obedience  to  the  will  of  God. 
The  supernatural  appearance  of  Gabriel  to  Elizabeth  and  to  Zacharias,  and 
the  strange  events  which  followed  as  a  sequence,  to  the  time  of  the  marriage  of 
Joseph  and  Mary,  were  but  a  prelude  to  even  more  astonishing  manifestations  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  co-operation  of  many  things  to  the  fulfillment  of  the  prophecy 
of  Micah,  "  And  thou,  Bethlehem,  in  the  land  of  Judah,  art  not  the  least  among 
the  princes  of  Judah  ;  for  out  of  thee  shall  come  a  governor  that  shall  rule  my 
people  Israel."  These  prophetic  words  had  peculiar  application,  which  the  people 
interpreted  rightly  as  foreshowing  the  birth  of  the  Messiah  to  occur  in  Bethlehem  ; 
but  it  had  yet  wider  significance.  Since  the  revolt  of  the  ten  tribes,  and  the  dis- 
ruption of  Solomon's  kingdom  at  Shechem,  the  nation  had  been  divided  into  the 
kingdom  of  Judah  and  that  of  Israel.  This  division  proved  disastrous  to  both 
branches,  as  it  led  to  interminable  wars  for  nearly  three  centuries,  and  to  the  final 
bondage  of  the  Jews  to  the  Assyrians.  Their  liberation  was  accomplished  through 
the  influence  of  Daniel,  after  seventy  years,  but  though  the  Temple  was  rebuilt  and 
efforts  at  consolidation  of  the  race  were  made  by  a  restoration  of  the  old  hierarchy, 
Nehemiah  proved  to  be  the  last  of  the  line  of  prophets,  and  boch  Judah  and  Israel 
lost  their  distinctness,  while  the  homogeneity  of  the  people  was  utterly  destroyed. 
The  prophecy  of  Micah,  made  three  centuries  before  the  captivity,  clearly  traces 
the  march  of  the  invading  Assyrians  through  Palestine,  and  declares  the  woes  which 
came  upon  the  people  for  their  corruption.  After  uttering  this  prophecy  he  pro- 
nounced the  great  glory  that  should  come  to  the  nation,  dissevered  as  it  was,  through 
a  Messiah  who  would  rule  both  Judah  and  Israel.  Thus  this  great  herald  of  the 
future  proclaimed  the  coming  of  a  Governor  who  would  bring  peace  to  all  the 

(154) 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


155 


world,  using  the  illustration  of  a  united  Judali  and  Israel  as  a  syml^ol  of  the  restora- 
tion of  a  universally  acknowledged  ruler  before  whom  the  nation  would  ultimately 
not  only  bow  in  allegiance,  but  of  whose  kingdom  there  would  be  no  end. 

The  Registration  for  Taxation. 

The  singular  co-operation  of  events  to  the  fulfillment  of  Micah's  prophecy  is 
particularly  observed  in  the  decree  issued  by  Augustus  Caesar  for  an  estimate  of 
the  resources,  and  an  enumeration  of  the  people  of  the  many  provinces  that  com- 


CHURCH   OF  THE   NATIVITY   AT   BETHLEHEM,    COVERING  THE  SITE  OF  THE  ANCIENT  MANGER. 

posed  his  empire.  Ostensibly,  this  census  was  taken  for  the  purpose  of  fixing  the 
levies  of  tax  which  might  be  equitably  collected  from  the  dependencies  of  the  Roman 
government,  but  its  application  to  Judea  seems  to  have  been  rather  an  initial  act, 
under  God,  towards  the  fulfillment  of  Micah's  prophecy.  At  the  time  the  decree 
was  published,  Judea  was  not  publicly  recognized  as  a  Roman  province,  but  rather 
as  a  dependency.  Herod  was  nominally  king  of  Judea,  but  in  fact  he  was  only  a 
viceroy  and  a  Roman  subject,  who  had  to  observe  the  edicts  of  Caesar.  But  to  give 
the  appearance  of  independence  he  recognized  the  Jewish  customs,  and,  therefore, 


156  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

in  obeying  the  decree  he  issued  an  order  that  every  family  within  his  government 
should  proceed  to  the  place  where  their  respective  genealogical  records  were  kept 
for  enrollment.  As  both  Mary  and  Joseph  were  of  the  lineage  of  David,  in  pur- 
suance of  Herod's  order  they  proceeded  to  Bethlehem  for  registration. 

Thus  the  edict  of  Augustus  Caesar,  issued  when  the  world  was  at  peace,  and 
without  any  apparent  reason  for  taking  an  enumeration,  since  the  taxes  were  col- 
lected in  Judah  by  Herod,  who  in  turn  paid  the  fixed  tribute  to  Caesar,  appears 
conclusively  to  have  been  an  instrumentality  of  the  Divine  will.  The  birth  of 
Jesus  was  so  near  at  hand  that  God  moved  the  Emperor  of  Rome  to  do  the  one 
necessary  thing  that  would  fulfill  the  words  of  Micah. 

In  obedience  to  the  order  of  Herod,  Joseph  and  Mary  made  ready  immediately 
for  the  journey  to  Bethlehem,  which  lies  almost  due  south  of  Nazareth,  and  about 
fifteen  miles  north  of  Hebron.  The  road  from  Nazareth  to  Bethlehem  was  there- 
fore the  same  as  that  over  which  Mary  had  traveled  on  her  way  to  visit  Elizabeth, 
and  the  scenes  which  called  up  patriotic  as  well  as  pious  reflections  on  that  journey 
were  yet  fresh  in  her  mind.  Being  well  acquainted  with  all  the  Messianic  prophe- 
cies she  could  not  be  insensible  to  the  singular  timing  of  events  which  of  themselves 
foretold  a  speedy  and  exact  fulfillment  of  the  prophet's  announcement,  and  her  heart 
and  soul  must  have  been  aroused  to  intense  jubilation  as  she  realized  the  synchro- 
nism of  the  enforced  visit  to  Bethlehem,  the  fulness  of  her  period,  and  the  expira- 
tion of  the  time  fixed  by  Daniel  for  the  Saviour's  birth. 

The  journey  was  completed  without  special  incident,  of  apostolic  record,  but 
upon  reaching  the  ancient  place  of  David,  Mar>'  and  her  husband  found  that  so 
large  a  throng  of  strangers,  brought  together  for  the  same  purpose,  had  preceded 
them  that  all  the  public  lodging  places  in  the  town  of  three  thousand  inhabitants 
were  already  occupied.  What !  no  place  to  house  the  royal  mother  ?  No  couch 
in  which  to  lay  the  king  of  earth  ?  No  lords  of  state  awaiting  in  antechamber  ? 
No  messengers  mounted  at  the  doorway  ready  to  herald  the  advent  from  city  to 
city  ?  No  medical  skill  in  attendance  ?  No  satin-lined  cradle  to  receive  the  infan- 
tile guest  ?     No,  none  ! 

God  in  a  Manger. 

But  humans  must  be  sheltered  as  well  as  beasts  ;  some  place  must  be  found. 
If  not  among  the  lords,  then  among  the  lowly  ;  if  not  among  the  lowly,  then  let 
it  be  among  the  beasts,  for  these  poor  creatures  will  not  refuse  to  share  their  quar- 
ters, even  though  they  stand  in  narrow  stalls  and  feed  at  the  hands  of  those  who 
begrudgingly  give  small  allowances  ot  food  while  taxing  them  to  the  limit  of 
endurance.  So  Mary  and  Joseph,  finding  no  welcome,  in  either  mansion  or 
cottage,  are  forced  to  seek  shelter  among  the  beasts,  to  accept  the  discomforts  of  a 
stable  even  at  a  time  the  most  critical,  at  the  approachment  and  at  the  fulfillment 
of  maiden   motherhood.     And  in   a  stable  among  the  asses,  and  cows,  and  the 


FROM  MANGER  TO  THRONE. 


157 


camels,  while  the  air  outside  was  disturbed  by  the  vexious  cries  of  muleteers, 
hostlers  and  camel  drivers,  Mary  bowed  herself  and  was  delivered  of  her  first-born, 
the  joint-heir  of  God  ;  the  arch-king  ;  a  monarch  upon  whom  the  night  pointed 
her  bediamonded  finger,  while  the  door  of  heaven  set  wide  open  to  give  the  angels 
sight  of  Him  ;  and  orchestral  batons  of  light  waved  oratorios  of  the  Messiah  across 
the  sky  and  the  minstrelsy  of  heaven  flung  out 
melodies  of  glory  and  good- will. 

But  while  heaven  was  all  aglow  with  joy, 
the  Son  of  God  was  not  yet  raised  from  the 
straw  in  the  manger  where  his  mother  had  laid 
him,    covered  with   coarse   linen  ;   nor  was  the  *. 

poor    mother   yet    ministered  ^■- 

to  in  her  many  needs.      For  ^ 

her  there  was  neither  comfort 
nor  privacy.    A  better  adapted     ^  i- 


place  hath  the  eaglet   in  the   \- 
eyrie  ;  hath  the  whelp  m  the 
lion's  lair.   The  exile  of  heaven 
lieth  down    upon    the   straw  , 
the   first  night   out    from  the 


ff  •■..■>  M  •'/■•■;5'Ji£-*v'i 


'.  -..mMIUS^  D-  Applatoai  Co. 


RUINS   OK   ANCIKNT    [NN    AT   BETHLEHEM. 


palace  of  heaven,  spent  in  an  outhouse.  One  hour  after  laying  aside  the  robes 
of  heaven,  dressed  in  a  wrapper  of  coarse  linen.  One  would  have  supposed  that 
Christ  would  have  made  a  more  gradual  descent,  coming  from  heaven  first  to  a 
half-way  world  of  great  magnitude,  then  to  Caesar's  palace,  then  to  a  merchant's 
palace  in  Galilee,  then  to  a  private  home  in  Bethany,  then  to  a  fisherman's  hut, 
and  last  of  all  to  a  stable.     No  !  No.     It  was  one  leap  from  the  top  to  the  bottom  ! 


158  FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

Let  us  open  the  door  of  the  caravansary  in  Bethlehem  and  drive  away  the 
camels.  Press  on  through  the  group  of  idlers  and  loungers.  What,  O  Mary, 
no  light?  "No  light,"  she  says,  "save  that  which  comes  through  the  door." 
What,  Mar>%  no  food?  "None,"  she  says,  "only  that  which  is  brought  in  the 
sack  on  the  journey."  Let  the  Bethlehem  woman  who  has  come  in  herewith 
kindly  attentions  put  back  the  covering  from  the  babe  that  we  may  look  upon 
it.  Look  !  Look  !  Uncover  your  head.  Let  us  kneel.  Let  all  voices  be  hushed. 
Son  of  Mary  !  Son  of  God  !  Child  of  a  day — monarch  of  eternity  !  Omnipotence 
sheathed  in  that  babe's  arm.  Omniscience  strung  in  the  optic  nerve  of  that  child's 
eye.  That  voice  to  be  changed  from  the  feeble  plaint  to  a  tone  that  shall  wake 
the  dead.  Hosanna  !  Hosanna  !  Glory  be  to  God  that  Jesus  came  from  throne  to 
manger,  that  we  might  rise  from  manger  to  throne,  and  that  all  the  gates  are  open, 
and  that  the  door  of  heaven  that  once  swung  this  way  to  let  Jesus  out,  now  swings 
the  other  way  to  let  us  in.  Let  all  the  bellmen  of  heaven  lay  hold  the  rope,  and 
ring  out  the  news  :  "  Behold,  I  bring  you  glad  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall 
be  to  all  people,  for  to-day  is  born  in  the  city  of  David  a  Saviour  which  is  Christ, 
the  Lord  !" 

Oh,  Glorious  Night! 

Bethlehem  lies  upon  a  hillside  overlooking  a  beautiful  valley,  rich  with 
succulent  grasses  on  which  great  flocks  of  sheep  were  sent  to  graze  in  the  time 
of  Christ,  and  over  which  shepherds  were  appointed  to  watch.  It  was  so  in 
the  days  of  David,  perhaps  long  before,  and  it  is  so  still.  These  shepherds  were 
accounted  faithful,  honest  and  religious ;  their  occupation  has  ever  been  a 
symbol  of  humility  and  providential  care,  and  the  shepherd's  crook  has  been 
made  to  take  its  place  in  church  ritualism  as  a  token  of  complacency  with  the 
Divine  will,  as  well  also  to  serve  as  an  emblem  of  priestly  authority. 

It  is  not  strange  that  to  these  faithful  watchers  the  first  news  of  the  birth 
should  be  conveyed ;  but  it  was  not  by  messengers  a-foot,  nor  by  acclaims  of 
priests,  nor  by  cymbals  and  hautboys  in  the  hands  of  worshipers.  The  efful- 
gence of  the  day  would  have  been  needed  to  give  them  dispatch.  The  time 
was  night,  a  holy  night,  when  silence  was  nature's  invocation,  and  the  stars 
blazed  their  orisons  with  tremblings  of  ecstasy.  While  "night,"  in  all  lan- 
guages, is  the  symbol  for  gloom  and  suffering,  it  is  often  really  cheerful,  bright 
and  impressive.  I  speak  not  of  such  nights  as  come  down  with  no  star  pouring 
light  from  above,  or  silvered  wave  tossing  up  light  from  beneath — murky, 
hurtling,  portentous — but  such  as  you  often  see  when  the  pomp  and  magnifi- 
cence of  heaven  turn  out  on  night-parade  ;  and  it  seems  as  though  the  song 
which  the  morning  stars  began  so  long  ago  were  chiming  yet  among  the  con- 
stellations, and  the  sons  of  God  were  shouting  for  joy.  Such  nights  the  sailor 
blesses  from  the  forecastle,  and  the  trapper  on  the  vast  prairie,  and  the  belated 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


159 


traveler  by  the  roadside,  and  the   soldier    from   the   tent,  earthly  hosts  gazing 
upon  heavenly,  and  shepherds  guarding  their  flocks  a-field,  while  angel  hands 


THK  BIRTH  OK  THE  SAVIOUR.— After  the  Painting  by  Correggio. 
above  tliem  set  the  silver  bells  a-ringing  :    "Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and 
on  earth  peace,  good-will  toward  men."     And  on  this  blessed  night  the  angel 


i6o  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

of  the  L/Ord  rode  out  from  the  mansions  of  alabaster,  down  the  steep  from  the 
skies,  drawing  with  him  streams  of  dazzHng  radiance  like  shadows  of  sun  and 
stars,  and  with  a  rush  of  glories  floated  over  the  heads  of  the  startled  shepherds 
as  they  were  keeping  their  quiet,  perhaps  half-sleeping  watch.  It  was  Gabriel 
again,  the  holy  messenger,  who  had  appeared  to  Zacharias,  and  to  Mary,  and 
to  Joseph  in  a  dream,  who  now  came  bearing  more  joyful  tidings  than  were 
ever  before  unfolded. 

But  a  flaming  presence,  at  once  so  awful  and  magnificent,  struck  the 
simple  shepherds  with  fear,  for  they  did  not  immediately  perceive  the  import 
of  the  angel's  coming.  Fear  had  fallen  on  Zacharias,  fear  had  fallen  on  Mary, 
and  fear  had  now  come  upon  the  perhaps  less  pious  shepherds  ;  and  I  imagine 
that  a  sight  of  so  wondrous  a  spectacle,  a  revelation  of  sublime  glorification 
floating  in  a  blazing  sea,  would  bring  a  flush  of  fear  to  the  bravest  heart ;  but 
as  the  shining  messenger  calmed  the  perturbations  of  the  ministering  priest  and 
the  holy  virgin,  so  did  he  at  once  speak  peace  to  the  shepherds  by  these 
inspiring  words  : 

"  Fear  not :  for,  behold,  I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall 
be  to  all  people.  For  unto  you  is  born  this  day  in  the  city  of  David  a  Saviour, 
which  is  Christ  the  Lord,  and  this  shall  be  a  sign  unto  you  :  ye  shall  find 
the  babe  wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes,  lying  in  a  manger." 

To  the  splendor  of  the  holy  messenger  there  suddenly  flamed  up  a  yet 
greater  light,  throwing  its  radiance  higher  in  the  sky,  until  there  was  revealed 
to  the  startled  shepherds  the  vision  of  a  heavenly  host,  an  angelic  band 
raimented  with  an  effulgence  that  flooded  the  fields  afar ;  a  constellation  of 
immortals  that  bejeweled  both  earth  and  sky  with  an  ineffable  illumination, 
and  from  this  holy  choir  there  poured  forth  a  song  of  triumphant  joy,  a  chorus 
of  blissful  oblation,  a  symphony  of  rapturous  pronouncement,  an  oratorio  of 
doxology  filled  with  glory  and  good- will. 

The  Shepherds  at  the  Manger. 

Before  this  glorious  vision  the  shepherds  lost  all  fear,  and  alarm  gave 
place  to  blessing  ;  the  hope  of  the  pious  watchers  and  the  expec.ation  of  Israel 
were  now  realized,  and  so  the  shepherds  hastened  into  the  town  to  behold  and 
to  worship  the  infant  Lord.  Through  street  and  alley,  in  and  out  through 
by-ways  and  encampments,  they  made  their  way  until  at  last  a  small  light 
piercing  the  darkness  at  the  mouth  of  a  cave  directed  them  to  the  Sacred 
Presence,  where  they  found  the  babe  lying  on  the  straw  of  a  manger  and 
the  Holy  Mother  bending  above  Him  in  maternal  ministration.  After  paying 
their  devotions  "the  shepherds  returned,  glorifying  and  praising  God  for  all 
things  that  they  had  heard  and  seen,  as  it  was  told  unto  them." 


THE  MADONNA. — From  the  Painting  by  Titian. 


(i6i) 


i62  FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

The  cave  or  grotto  in  which  the  birth  of  our  Ltord  took  place  is  still 
pointed  out  to  pilgrims  who  visit  the  town  of  Bethlehem.  Above  it  the  Emperor 
Adrian  once  erected  a  temple  in  honor  of  Venus  and  Adonis,  intending  the 
act  not  so  much  as  a  mark  of  respect  to  those  heathen  deities  as  a  sign  of  his 
irreverence  and  ridicule  of  the  spot  which  tradition  invested  with  such  sacred 
memories  and  reverent  regard.  But  even  the  hands  of  a  king  may  not  oppose 
the  will  of  God,  or  of  the  people,  and  those  therefore  who  came  to  mock  the  name 
of  Jesus  by  an  indulgence  in  obscene  orgies  in  the  heathen  temple  were  overcome 
by  their  own  profanity,  and  as  a  poet  happily  expressed  it  "  remained  to  pray." 

lyater  this  sacrilegious  monument  was  destroyed  and  the  Grotto  of  the 
Nativity  was  consecrated  into  a  church  and  the  .manger  into  an  altar.  The 
approach  to  this  holy  place  where  Jesus  was  born  is  by  a  descent  of  several 
steps,  which  admits  the  visitor  into  a  considerable  chamber  lighted  by  sixteen 
lamps  pendant  from  the  roof.  The  cavern,  or  grotto,  is  of  an  irregular  shape 
with  a  small  compartment  cut  out  from  the  larger,  in  the  floor  of  which  is  a 
large  silver  star  bearing  this  inscription  in  L,atin,  "  In  this  place  jESUS  Christ 
was  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary."  The  manger  is  also  pointed  out,  and  is 
religiously  protected,  as  well  as  adorned,  by  an  encasement  of  marble,  before 
which  incense-burning  lamps  are  kept  constantly  aflame. 

The  Grotto  of  the  Nativity  is  one  of  perhaps  a  hundred  similar  excavations 
in  and  about  JBethlehem,  and  they  are  no  less  common  in  a  greater  part  of 
Central  Palestine.  The  hillsides  are  stony,  but  of  a  chalky  limestone  formation 
which  is  easily  cut,  and  hence  such  excavations  are  made  to  serve  for  both 
habitations  and  stalls  for  cattle.  Among  the  poorest  classes,  indeed,  single 
excavations,  and  again  with  sometimes  two  or  three  chambers,  are  made  to 
serve  the  double  purpose  of  home  and  stable,  and  it  was  no  doubt  in  such  a 
one  that  our  Lord  was  born. 

The  Dedication  to  God. 

On  the  eighth  day  after  the  birth,  in  accordance  with  an  ancient  law  and 
invariable  usage  among  the  Jews,  the  Young  Child  was  probably  carried  to 
the  Temple  and  there  presented  to  the  priests  for  circumcision,  which  was  a  rite 
indicative  of  a  dedication  of  infancy  to  the  God  of  Israel.  The  ceremony  may 
have  been  performed  in  a  synagogue  of  Bethlehem,  but  as  Jerusalem  was  only  six 
miles  distant,  and  the  Temple  was  regarded  with  great  reverence,  especially  by 
those  of  such  devout  minds  and  pious  reflections  as  Mary,  who,  legend  declares, 
was  instructed  there,  we  are  almost  forced  into  the  belief  that  she  selected  this 
greater  synagogue  of  the  lyord  in  which  the  dedication  should  be  made.  At  this 
ceremony  the  name  JESUS,  pronounced  at  the  annunciation,  was  given  to  the 
Child,  who  was  thus  made  a  member  of  the  congregation  of  Israel. 


FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONE. 


163 


The  Jews,  as  previously  observed,  were  remarkable  for  their  dogmatic  con- 
formity to  old  established  rites,  and  a  rigorous  attention  to  their  religious  ritualism. 
Among  these  requirements  was  one  which  forbade  a  mother  to  appear  in 
public,  or  to  touch  any  sacred  thing,  until  a  period  of  forty  days  after  the  birth 
of  her  male  child  ;  and  this  exclusion  was  necessary  for  a  space  of  sixty-six  days 
after  the  birth  of  a  daughter,  at  the  end  of  which  respective  times  the  mother 


Copyright,  Issl 
D.  Appletoa  6l  Cu 


THE  GROTTO  UNDER  THE  CHURCH  OF  THE  NATIVITY. 


was  required  to  repair  to  some  holy  place,  a  synagogue,  or  the  Temple  to  receive 
from  a  priest  the  rite  of  purification.  '  Thus  Mary  was  in  seclusion  thirty-two 
days  after  the  circumcision  of  her  Babe,  which  term  she  doubtless  spent  in  praise 
offerings  at  Bethlehem,  perhaps  in  the  house  of  some  newly-found  and  sympathiz- 
ing friend,  for  it  appears  from  the  account  given  by  Matthew  that  she  sojourned 
in  that  place  for  two  months  after  the  nativity. 


1 64  FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

The  Visit  to  the  Temple. 

At  length  the  time  for  Mary's  purification  was  at  hand,  and  we  may  imagine 
with  what  joy  she  hailed  the  termination  of  her  enforced  isolation,  the  social 
ostracism,  the  separation  from  friends,  the  long  retirement  in  gloomy  seclusion. 
And  we  may  also  picture  the  delight  which  she  now  felt  in  a  presentation  of 
her  first-bom,  the  thrill  of  expectation,  the  gladsome  exhilaration  that  fills  the 
heart  of  a  young  mother,  and  especially  of  her  who  was  now  giving  nourish- 
ment to  a  princeling  whose  life  was  to  be  the  light  of  a  world.  And  at  the  end 
of  the  fortieth  day  we  can  almost  hear  her  cheerful  voice  as  she  must  have  called 
to  Joseph,  like  a  May  queen  on  the  morning  of  her  coronation  :  "  Get  thee  ready, 
Joseph ;  haste  and  saddle  up  the  ass,  the  precious  Babe  is  even  now  ready, 
and  the  bag  of  provisions  is  waiting  by  the  door."  And  Joseph,  responsive  to 
her  bidding,  perhaps  no  less  joyful,  hurried  to  the  stall,  which  was  probably  a 
chamber  in  the  habitation,  and  leading  out  a  little  fluffy,  demure  and  very  ancient 
looking  burro,  placed  Mary  and  the  Child  thereon,  and  with  staff  in  hand  to  give 
him  aid  over  the  stony  way,  the  party  set  out  for  Jerusalem.  The  road  was 
rough,  even  though  a  highway  of  common  travel,  passing  around  the  base  of  a 
considerable  hill  and  leading  on  by  many  memorable  places,  and  up  the  rich 
valley  of  Rephaim,  where  giants  were  once  supposed  to  dwell ;  with  Mount  Zion 
rising  loftil}^  on  the  south  as  if  to  excite  remembrance  of  its  desecration  by  the  camp 
of  Pompey  ;  and  by  the  amphitheatre  of  Herod  in  which  revolting  games  and 
sacrifices  to  heathen  deities  were  common  as  entertainments  for  the  people  only 
a  few  years  before.  Ay,  a  memorable  journey,  well  calculated  to  excite  emotion  in 
an  impressionable  nature,  such  as  Mary's,  until  the  feeling  of  horror  and  revolting 
reflection  was  suddenly  dissipated  by  a  sight  of  the  Holy  City  and  the  dazzling 
splendor  of  the  great  Temple  bursting  upon  her  vision. 

Ma^ificence  of  the  Temple. 

Not  only  was  the  sight  of  the  Temple  a  spiritual  consolation  and  one  which 
aroused  patriotic  impulses  as  well  as  religious  enthusiasm,  but  the  sacred  and 
monumental  edifice  was  of  such  extravagant  splendor  that  no  eye  might  gaze 
upon  it  without  a  feeling  of  bewildering  surprise  and  admiration.  There  first 
arose  before  the  vision  of  the  visitor  approaching  from  the  south  the  promontory 
of  Ophel,  which  was  the  residence  of  the  Levites.  At  its  foot  was  the  Pool  of 
Siloam,  and  midway  on  its  eastern  face  was  the  Fount  of  the  Virgin.  Higher 
up,  and  on  the  apex,  was  the  Royal  Porch  of  the  Temple,  white  as  snow  under 
a  cloud,  and  bright  as  a  mirror  when  struck  by  the  sun.  On  one  side  was  a 
stone  wall  of  extraordinary  height,  which  served  as  a  foundation  for  the  Temple, 
and  which  to  the  beholder  appeared  like  a  link  of  masonry  connecting  the  valley 
with  the  skies.     The  Tower  of  David,  which  served  as  an  armory  for  the  nation, 


FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONE 


165 


reared  its  huge  size  as  a  sentry  guarding  the  Temple,  beyond  which  were  the 
cloisters  and  then  the  outer  court,  the  entrance  to  which  was  through  an  arch- 
way over  which  was  a  stone  screen  nearly  five  feet  in  height.  On  this  screen 
was  written  an  order,  in  the  Greek  and  Roman  languages,  forbidding  the  entry  of 
any  Gentile.  Inside  this  outer  court  was  a  large  open  space  which  had  been 
converted  into  a  bazaar  and  market-place,  where  bullocks,  sheep,  doves  and  pigeons 
were  sold  for  sacrificial  offerings,  and  where  money-changers  had  their  ofiices  for 
the  exchanging  of  coins  brought 
by  worshipers  living  in  the  several 
provinces  tributary  to  the  Holy 
Land.  Beyond  this  outer  court  and 
approaching  the  Temple  proper  was 
an  elegant  Mosaic  pavement  which 
led  up  to  "the  Gate  Beautiful," 
which  Josephus  declares  was  forty 
feet  in  height  and  so  heavy  that 
it  required  the  combined  effort  of 
twenty  men  to  open  or  close.  This 
gate  was  made  of  Corinthian  brass 
kept  burnished  so  brightly  that  it 
was  like  the  sun,  and  above  it 
Herod  had  caused  to  be  fixed  the 
Roman  Eagle  as  a  sign  of  the  de- 
pendency of  Israel  on  the  Roman 
government.  For  this  reason  the 
Jews  passed  through  this  gateway 
with  such  rebellious  feelings  as 
characterized  the  Swiss  peasantry 
when  they  bowed  to  Gessler's  hat. 
Besides  the  Gate  Beautiful 
there  were  nine  other  entrances 
with  doors  of  little  less  magnifi- 
cence, covered  as  they  were  with 
silver  and  gold.  These  gates  admitted  into  yet  another  smaller  court  and  to  a 
flight  of  steps  which  led  to  a  considerably  elevated  platform  on  which  was  the 
Court  of  the  Priests,  and  in  the  centre  of  which  was  the  Altar  of  Burnt-offering 
and  the  Brazen  leaver  ;  while  in  the  rear  was  the  Holy  Place,  separated  from  the 
court  by  a  rich  tapestrj^  embroidered  in  scarlet,  blue  and  purple,  and  supported 
by  golden  hooks  fastened  in  five  pillars  of  shittim  wood  veneered  with  gold. 
This  veil  was  hung  in  front  of  the  sanctuary,  or  Holy  Place,  behind  which  none 


THE  SILVER   STAR   MARKINCt  THK   PLACK 

saviour's  birth. 


ui-     iiiK 


i66  FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONK. 

but  priests  were  permitted  to  pass.  A  second  veil,  of  yet  richer  fabric  and 
ornamentation,  separated  the  Holy  Place  from  the  Holy  of  Holies,  which  was 
parted  only  once  a  year  by  the  High  Priest  and  that  on  the  Day  of  Atonement. 
It  was  to  the  court  of  the  Priests  that  Mary  brought  her  Babe  for  the  service 
of  dedication  to  God  and  her  own  purification.  This  ceremony  was  simple,  being 
little  more  than  the  administration  of  a  priestly  blessing,  but  the  parent  was 
required  to  present  for  sacrifice  a  lamb,  if  the  applicant  was  wealthy,  or  a  pair 
of  turtle  doves,  if  poor.  Besides  this  there  was  required  to  be  paid  the  sum  of 
five  shekels,  equivalent  to  about  $3.12;^  of  our  money,  as  a  redemption  fee. 

The  Declaration  and  Prophecy  of  Simeon  and  Anna. 

As  Mary  was  presenting  her  first-born,  amid  a  crowd  of  waiters,  some  of  whom 
were  present  as  spectators  and  many  others  who  had  come  for  the  same  purpose 
that  brought  her,  a  holy  and  very  aged  man,  named  Simeon,  who  had  faithfully 
followed  the  Mosaic  law  and  lived  in  glorious  expectation  of  the  coming  of  a 
Redeemer,  was  suddenly,  by  inspiration,  made  to  recognize  in  Mary's  Babe  the 
"Messiah  of  God."  Therefore,  immediately  after  the  ceremony  of  dedication 
and  purification  was  complete,  he  approached  the  Madonna  with  reverently  out- 
stretched hands,  and  took  the  Babe  in  his  arms  and  raising  his  eyes  to  heaven 
poured  out  his  gracious  acknowledgments  to  God,  saying,  "  I^ord,  now  lettest 
Thou  Thy  servant  depart  in  peace  according  to  Thy  word  ;  for  mine  eyes  have 
seen  Thy  Salvation,  which  Thou  hast  prepared  before  the  face  of  all  people  ;  a  light 
to  lighten  the  Gentiles,  and  the  glory  of  Thy  people  Israel."  The  spirit  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  being  upon  him  he  spake  then  as  a  prophet,  through  the  understand- 
ing given  him  by  God,  to  Mary  :  ' '  Behold,  this  Child  is  set  for  the  fall  and 
rising  again  of  many  in  Israel ;  and  for  a  sign  that  shall  be  spoken  against : 
Yea,  a  sword  shall  pierce  through  thy  own  soul  also."  This  prophecy  was  singu- 
larly fulfilled  in  the  crucifixion,  and  with  the  divine  light  in  Mary's  soul  she  may 
well  have  ' '  marveled  at  those  things  which  were  spoken  of  Him. ' ' 

But  to  the  recognition  of  Simeon  there  was  the  re-enforcement  of  a  like 
declaration  from  a  prophetess  named  Anna,  who  had  spent  nearly  all  the  eighty- 
four  years  of  her  life  in  the  Temple,  and  who  had  given  all  her  days  to  a  rigorous 
observance  of  the  holy  ordinances,  to  the  attainment  of  those  graces  which  bring 
the  soul  into  perfect  rapport  with  the  Deity.  She  had  lost  her  husband  after  only 
seven  years  of  marriage,  when  she  must  have  been  still  young,  but  she  gave  her 
broken  heart  to  the  Lord  and  thenceforth,  as  Luke  says,  "she  departed  not  from 
the  Temple,  but  served  God  with  fastings  and  prayers  night  and  day. "  Being  of 
the  tribe  of  Asher  she  no  doubt  came  from  some  town  in  Galilee  and  spent  her 
days  in  the  Temple  in  such  worshipful  reverence  that  her  sayings  became  oracular 
and  she  was  esteemed  a  prophetess.     To  her,  therefore,  was  also  given  a  revelation 


FROM  MANGER  TO  THRONE. 


167 


of   the  infant  Messiah,  and  like  Simeon   she  broke   forth  into   thanksgivings, 
and  spoke  to  the  people  of  the  Redeemer  who  had  now  come. 

The  service  of  presentation  in  the  Temple  having  been  completed,  Joseph 
and  Mary  returned  to  Bethlehem,  where  directly  after  there  was  another  manifes- 


POOIv   OF   SII^OAM   AS   IT   NOW   APPEARS. 


tation  attesting  the  Messiahship  of  the  Babe,  in  the  visit  of  wise  men  from  the  East, 
come  by  Divine  direction  to  pay  their  homage,  and  to  bring  the  first  acknowledg- 
meat  from  the  Gentile  world. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

VISIT   OF   THK    WISE    MEN    FROM    THE    EAST. 

^  ^^  ANY  theological  writers  have  speculated  and  theorized,  and  profane 
ill      historians  have  expended  a  wealth  of  erudition  and  investigation, 
V^  ly      in  a  vain  effort  to  solve  the  riddle  of  ' '  the  wise  men  of  the  east. ' ' 
•"  1  IvOng  before  the  captivity  of  seventy  years  the  Chaldean  sooth- 

sayers were  known  as  astrologers,  who  also  laid  claim  to  the  possession  of  occult 
powers.  In  the  days  of  Moses  magicians  were  common  in  Egypt,  and  whether 
we  go  east  or  west  over  the  course  of  centuries,  we  invariably  find  that  every 
country  and  every  people  has  some  kind  of  foretellers  of  future  events,  or  some 
dealers  in  magic  influence,  being  known  under  a  great  number  of  appellations, 
such  as  seer,  prophet,  medicine  man,  sorcerer,  wizard,  geomancer,  Sibyl,  Python, 
Monitor,  Pythia,  Obeah-man,  medium,  etc.  In  all  ages,  too,  the  necromantic 
art  is  joined  heart  in  hand  with  humbuggery  to  make  victims  of  the  credulous. 
But  man  is  an  imitator  of  God,  so  far  as  his  abilities  permit  of  imitation,  and  as 
God  has  chosen  to  give  striking  manifestation,  in  special  instances,  of  His  Power 
over  natural  laws,  so  men  with  unholy  aspirations  have  attempted  by  delusions 
to  give  counterfeit  exhibitions  of  almightiness,  and  though  their  deceits  are  often 
exposed  there  is  still  no  lack  of  believers. 

In  the  earlier  years  there  were  many  wondrous  evidences  afforded  of  God's 
immediate  direction  of  His  people  ;  perhaps  we  have  as  many  positive  evidences 
of  like  watchful  care  and  influence  this  day  ;  but  in  the  age  preceding  and  con- 
temporary with  Christ  there  were  occasional  visibilities  of  God's  outward  workings 
which  brought  man  into  a  material  relationship  with  Him.  To  promote  this  con- 
nection a  school  of  prophets  was  founded,  in  which  Samuel  was  the  first  regent. 
From  the  colleges  at  Ramah,  Gilgal,  Bethel  and  Jericho,  nearly  all  the  great 
prophets  graduated  and  became  mouth-pieces  of  Jehovah  to  declare  His  will  to 
kings  and  to  the  people.  When  the  Jews  were  taken  captive  by  the  Babylonians, 
about  580  B.  C,  they  were  immediately^  introduced  to  a  new  form  of  religion, 
based  largely  on  occultism,  and  which  was  taught  in  schools  established  for  the 
instruction  and  development  of  what  was  termed  Magi,  from  whence  is  derived 
our  word  Magician.  Nebuchadnezzar,  King  of  Babylon  and  it's  dependencies, 
was  distinguished  for  his  wisdom  as  a  ruler,  and  he  was  -also  a  good  judge  of 
human  nature.  He  early  recognized  the  superior  learning  of  his  Jewish  captives 
and   made   their   talents  serviceable  to  him  in  numerous  ways.       Many  of  the 

(t68) 


UK   KASTERN   MAGI   DOING    HOMAGh    n-    I,.,-,,.-,. 


("^91 


lyo  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

captives,  most  promising  for  the  purpose,  were  accordingly  put  into  the  hands  of 
Chaldean  instructors  for  a  course  of  schooling,  among  the  number  being  Daniel, 
who,  by  God's  aid,  became  one  of  the  four  great  prophets.  Daniel  first  distin- 
guished himself  as  an  interpreter  of  the  king's  dreams,  by  which  he  rose  to  the 
governorship  of  one  or  more  of  the  Babylonish  provinces. 

The  Chaldean  Sages. 

But  the  Chaldeans  were  soothsayers  and  astrologers,  rather  than  prophets, 
who  cast  horoscopes  by  reading  the  stars,  and  laying  claims  to  ability  to  fore- 
tell events,  they  received  the  designation  of  "Wise  Men."  They  are  certainly 
entitled  to  the  credit  of  having  reduced  astrologj^  to  the  science  of  astronomy,  but 
that  they  were  frequently  impostors  is  plainly  evident.  Among  the  Medes  and 
Persians  they  were  especially  honored,  and  we  have  historical  accounts  of  them 
appearing  and  practicing  their  arts  in  places  remote  from  the  country  to  which 
they  belonged.  Rabmag,  or  chief  of  the  Magi,  was  sent  to  Jerusalem  by  Nebu- 
chadnezzar ;  and  his  followers,  or  believers  in  his  art  of  divination,  became  so 
large  as  to  constitute  a  religious  caste.  Six  hundred  years  later,  in  the  time  of 
Christ  or  shortly  after,  the  New  Testament  contains  a  brief  record  of  the  remark- 
able doings  of  Simon  Magus  and  Bar-Jesus,  who  belonged  to  the  Magian  caste, 
and  who  came  to  the  Holy  Land  to  perform  their  peculiar  feats  of  legerdemain. 

Zoroastrianism  was  perhaps  an  outgrowth  of  Magianism,  but  it  was  like 
refined  gold  after  the  dross  has  been  eliminated.  Zoroaster  may  have  lived  looo 
B.  C.  or  500  B.  C,  or  not  at  all,  for  history  is  too  vague  or  confusing  to  admit 
of  certainty  on  these  points,  but  whether  real  or  only  a  personification  of  the  ideal 
in  man  according  to  our  material  and  spiritual  reasoning,  his  philosophy  blends 
so  agreeably  with  the  teachings  of  Christ  that  he  appears  almost  as  a  herald  of 
the  "Light  of  the  World."  Fire  was  his  visible  symbol  of  God,  because  every- 
thing is  purified  that  passes  through  that  element,  and  Christ  made  use  of  the 
same  symbol  on  several  occasions  when  denouncing  shams  and  enlightening  the 
people  in  their  duty  to  God. 

"  The  Teachings  of  Zoroaster. 

The  purity  of  Zoroastrianism  is  not  alone  to  be  discovered  in  the  profession 
of  faith  and  the  charity  of  its  teachings,  but  a  loftier  conception  of  the  attributes 
of  Divinity  is  observed  in  the  hope  which  it  excited  of  the  appearance  of  a 
Messiah  who  Would  come,  clothed  with  all  power,  to  reform  the  world  and  establish 
a  reign  of  universal  peace.  This  tradition,  possibly  influenced  by  the  Jews  during 
the  captivity,  led  the  followers  of  Zoroaster  to  believe  that  this  Messiah  would 
be  a  "  King  of  the  Jews, ' '  an  inference  made  almost  conclusive  by  the  form  of 
inquiry  addressed  by  the  ' '  Wise  Men  ' '  who  came  out  of  the  East  to  worship 
the  infant  Jesus. 


i 


AIJUKATION  OK  THK  SHKPHKRDS. — By  Raphael. 


:i7i) 


172  FROM    MANGER   TO  THRONE. 

As  Christ  was  sent  to  redeem  the  world,  so  God  prepared  the  world  to 
receive  Him.  An  expectation  was  therefore  implanted  in  the  minds  of  the 
worshipful  people  of  the  east,  who  had  assimilated  with  the  Jews  brought  among 
them  as  captives,  and  as  God  sent  His  messengers  to  apprise  the  shepherds  on 
the  hillsides  about  Bethlehem,  so  we  must  believe  that  He  commissioned  angels 
to  bear  the  glad  tidings  of  the  Nativity  to  holy  or  ' '  Wise  Men  ' '  on  the  banks 
of  the  Tigris  or  Euphrates. 

But  if  there  were  base  pretenders — ready  to  profit  by  the  credulity  of  ignorant 
people — among  the  Magi,  it  is  but  one  of  the  world's  examples,  for  among  the 
wisest  and  the  holiest  there  have  ever  been  base  counterfeits,  hypocrites  and 
deceivers,  just  as  weeds  will  seek  companionship  with  the  best  fruits  of  the  ground. 
It  is  a  fact,  however,  that  the  Magi,  or  Chaldean  astrologists,  were  the  wisest  men 
of  the  age  ;  they  were  not  only  astrologists  but  also  naturalists,  scientists,  and 
through  their  experiments  in  pursuit  of  the  unattainable — in  the  transmutation 
of  metals — they  actually  transmuted  alchemy  into  chemistry.  And  in  their  study 
of  the  occult  art  of  astrology  they  became  astronomers.  More  than  two  thousand 
years  before  Christ  these  Magi  knew  the  precession  of  the  equinoxes,  and  they 
had  also  correctly  measured  the  distance  of  the  sun  from  the  earth. 

The  Book  of  Job  gives  us  to  know  that  there  were  men  of  that  ancient  time 

who  knew  the  earth  was  globular.     These  ' '  Wise  Men  ' '  were  acquainted  with 

the  arts  of  the  Egyptians,  and  understood  how  to  embalm  bodies  as  we  cannot 

understand  to-day.     The  lost  arts  are  as  great  as  the  living  arts  ;  what  we  invent 

now  is  generally  only  a  rediscovery.     Thus,  then,  we  know  that  the  Magi  were 

indeed  "  Wise  Men,"   and  the  three,  representing  youth,  middle  age  and  the 

wisdom  of  fourscore  years,   were  perhaps    the   most   distinguished  of  Magian 

teachers,  and  for  their  learning  were  selected  by  God  to  bear  witness  of  the  Lord 

to  Gentile  nations. 

Adoration  of  the  Three  Kings. 

"  Now  when  Jesus  was  born  in  Bethlehem  of  Judea  in  the  days  of  Herod 
the  King,  behold  there  came  wise  men  from  the  east  to  Jerusalem,  saying,  Where 
is  He  that  is  born  King  of  the  Jews  ?  for  we  have  seen  His  star  in  the  east  and 
are  come  to  worship  Him," 

Three  kings,  as  tradition  tells  us,  named  respectively  Gaspar,  Melchior  and 
Belthazar,  had  been  startled  by  the  sudden  blazing  out  against  the  sky  of  a  star, 
a  comet,  or  a  pillar  of  fire.  Perhaps  they  were  astronomers  taking  an  observation 
with  instruments  the  invention  of  which  was  lost  until  Galileo  rediscovered  the 
magnifying  power  of  lenses.  Or,  they  may  have  been  priests  perfonning  rites  in 
a  fire  temple  when  they  suddenly  beheld  rising  above  the  flame  they  tended  a 
brighter  light  hanging  low  in  the  heavens  and  surrounded  by  angels.  If  Con- 
stantine  saw  a  sign  in  the  sky  in  the  form  of  letters  of  light  rainbowing  a  shadowy 


JUSKl'H,    MAKY   AND   THE   CHILI)  JKSUS   OX    THK   WAV   XO   EGYPT. 


im) 


174  FROM    MANGER   TO  THRONE. 

cross  ;  if  Paul  was  stricken  blind  by  a  flash  and  heard  a  voice  of  complaint  coming 

out  of  a  cloud  ;  if  John  on  lonely  Patmos  beheld  so  many  strange  visions,  and 

Peter  was  rescued  by  an  angel,  then  we  cannot  affect  surprise  at  the  suggestion 

that  the  ' '  three  wise  men  ' '  received  a  communication  from  God  which  made  the 

star  of  their  vision  a  guide  to  lead  them  to  the  "Young  Chii,d.  ' '     Or,  perceiving 

a  wondrous  light  in  the  sky,  they  may  have  been  forcibly  reminded  of  Balaam's 

prophecy  when  he  declared  that  one  day  a  star  would  come  out  of  Jacob  and  a 

sceptre  rise  out  of  Israel  (Numb.  xxiv.  17).     In  any  aspect  that  we  permit  our 

imaginations  to  view  the  surroundings  and  influences  which  brought  the  ' '  wise 

men  "  to  do  homage  to  the  infant  Christ,  we  cannot  fail  to  see  the  workings  of 

God  to  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy.     To  the  "wise  men  "  was  sent  a  guiding  star 

that  after  seeing  and  worshiping  the  babe  Messiah  they  might   return  to  their 

own  country  and  bear  testimony  to  that  light  which  should  lighten  the  Gentiles, 

as  Simeon  had  declared  ;  and  that  they  might  also  be  witnesses  to  a  verification 

of  Balaam's  prediction  in  the  birth  of  a  Prince  whose  sceptre,  rising  out  of  Israel, 

should  rule  the  world. 

Following  the  Star. 

With  gladsome  steps,  and  exhilaration  of  spirits  in  glorious  expectation,  the 
three  so-called  kings  started  towards  Jerusalem,  bearing  with  them  rich  presents 
of  gold,  frankincense  and  myrrh,  and  other  costly  gifts  intended  as  the  first 
offerings  of  the  Gentile  world  to  the  infant  Christ.  Like  the  pillar  of  fire  that 
guided  the  Israelites,  went  the  star  before  these  men  until  they  had  followed  it 
to  the  Holy  City,  Jerusalem.  Here  it  seems  to  have  vanished  for  a  while,  for  on 
reaching  the  city  they  stopped  to  inquire,  ' '  Where  is  He  that  is  born  King  of 
the  Jews  ? ' '  Whether  or  not  they  repaired  directly  to  Herod  and  asked  this 
question  we  are  not  informed,  but  the  inquiry  was  of  such  a  startling  nature  that 
Herod  was  soon  apprised  of  the  purpose  of  the  "wise  men's  "  visit.  With  a  fear 
that  might  well  excite  that  cruel,  crafty  and  insidious  ruler,  on  whose  hands  was 
the  blood  of  brothers,  sons,  wife  and  thousands  of  subjects,  and  in  whose  palace 
were  intrigue,  plot,  sedition  and  assassination,  he  hastily  summoned  the  members 
of  the  Sanhedrim  and  asked  them  for  an  interpretation  of  the  prophecies  respecting 
the  birth  of  the  King.  In  a  few  hours  all  Jerusalem  was  in  a  tumult  of  excite- 
ment. The  Jews  were  on  tip-toe  of  joyous  expectation,  for  the  first  new^s  aroused 
in  them  a  belief  that  He  who  had  long  been  promised  to  overthrow  their  oppres- 
sors and  bring  back  the  ancient  glory  of  Israel,  had  indeed  appeared  ;  while 
Herod,  jealous,  madly  ambitious,  and  fearful  of  his  tottering  throne,  was  mad 
with  evil  foreboding  and  saw  in  this  new  King  the  destruction  of  his  power  and 
a  possible  punishment  for  his  horrible  crimes.  After  learning  from  the  Sanhedrim 
that  the  time  of  the  promised  birth  was  at  hand,  and  that  the  place  of  the  nativity 
was  Bethlehem,  with  much  craftiness  as  a  vail  to  hide  his  intentions,  Herod  held 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


175 


an  interview  with  the  "  Wise  Men,"  at  which,  with  professions  of  loyalty  to  his 
successor,  he  asked  them  to  proceed  at  once  to  Bethlehem  and  after  finding  the 
Child  to  send  him  word  that  he  might  also  come  and  pay  homage  to  the  royal  infant. 
And  the  "Wise  Men"  went  out  of  Jerusalem,  when  lo,  the  star  again 
appeared  to  them,  which  they  followed  until  it  stood  over  the  house  in  which 
Mary  and  Joseph  and  the  Christ-babe  were  sheltered.     I  can  imagine  that  their 


BAS-RELIEF  IN  THE  CHURCH   OE  SAINT  ANDREA,    AT  PISTOJA,    ITAIA',    REPRESENTING   THE 
SLAUGHTER  OK  THE  INNOCENTS.  -Designed  by  H.  Cliapins. 

joy  was  so  great  they  did  not  stop  to  knock  on  the  door,  bu*;  shouted  their  salu- 
tations even  before  they  had  reached  the  outer  gate.  They  may  have  expected 
to  see  the  Babe  housed  in  a  magnificent  palace,  but  it  is  most  probable  that  they 
had  been  forewarned,  as  were  the  shepherds,  and  came  directly  upon  the  house 
which  had  been  prefigured  to  them  in  a  vision,  for  God  was  in  their  hearts. 


176  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

Offerings  of  Rich  Gifts. 

Reaching  at  last  the  room  to  which  they  had  been  miraculously  directed,  the 
three  kings,  or  "  Wise  Men  "  who  might  be  set  high  above  kings,  saw  the  Holy 
Mother  cradling  the  infant  Messiah  in  her  arms,  and  with  worshipful  hearts  they 
fell  down  before  the  Babe  in  adoration  while  emptying  out  their  treasures  of  gold, 
frankincense  and  myrrh.  Gold,  representing  the  wealth  of  the  East ;  frankin- 
cense, a  vegetable  resin  for  sacrificial  fumigation,  a  symbol  of  purification  ;  and 
myrrh,  an  ingredient  of  the  "oil  of  holy  ointment,"  and  which  was  to  be  offered 
to  Christ  on  the  cross,  mingled  with  wine,  to  drown  His  sufferings.  So  was  it  a 
perfume,  to  stand  as  a  symbol  of  His  death,  by  which  a  world  of  sin  was 
redeemed  through  the  gift  of  life  eternal. 

When  the  ' '  Wise  Men ' '  had  made  their  offerings,  instead  of  returning  to 
Herod,  as  requested,  they  were  warned  by  the  good  angel  that  had  attended 
them  to  depart  at  once  for  their  own  country,  which  they  did,  having  no  doubt 
been  divinely  informed  of  Herod's  infamous  designs. 

Traditions  of  the  Three  Kings. 

The  wisdom,  charity  and  worshipful  acknowledgment  of  the  Magi  have  been 
made  the  basis  of  many  legends,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  being  thus  related  by 
Geikie : 

' '  In  farthest  East  lived  a  people  who  had  a  book  which  bore  the  name 
Seth,  and  in  this  was  written  the  appearance  of  the  star  of  the  Messiah,  and  the 
offerings  of  gifts  to  Him.  This  book  was  handed  down  from  father  to  son,  gen- 
eration after  generation.  Twelve  men  were  chosen  who  should  watch  for  the 
star,  and  when  one  died  another  was  chosen  in  his  place.  These  men,  in  the 
speech  of  the  land,  were  called  Magi.  They  went,  each  year,  after  the  wheat- 
harvest,  to  the  top  of  a  mountain,  which  was  called  the  Mountain  of  Victor}'.  It 
had  a  cave  in  it,  and  was  pleasant  by  its  springs  and  trees.  At  last  the  star 
appeared,  and  in  it  the  form  of  a  little  Child,  and  over  Him  the  sign  of  the  cross  ; 
and  the  star  itself  spoke  to  them,  and  told  them  to  go  to  Judea.  For  two  years, 
which  was  the  time  of  their  journey,  the  star  moved  before  them,  and  they 
wanted  neither  food  nor  drink.  Gregory  of  Tours  adds  that  the  star  sank,  at 
last,  into  a  spring  at  Bethlehem,  where  he  himself  had  seen  it,  and  where  it  still 
may  be  seen,  but  only  by  pure  maidens. ' ' 

Tradition  or  legend  does  not  halt  at  one  or  two  efforts,  but  seems  to  gather 
fresh  impulse  at  each  relation,  so  that  the  super-pious  who  thirst  for  material 
evidences  are  afibrded  satisfaction  by  the  story  that  the  bodies  of  the  three 
"  Wise  Men  "  were  discovered  somewhere  in  the  East  directly  after  Helena,  while 
on  a  pilgrimage  to  Jerusalem,  was  miraculously  shown  the  true  cross  on  which 
Christ  suffered.     The  bodies  are  said  to  have  been  taken  to  Constantinople,  where 


THK    RF.TURN    FROM    KGVPT.— By   RuheilS. 


('77) 


178  FROM    MANGER   TO  THRONE. 

they  remained  for  several  years  and  then  were  transferred  to  Milan,  This  latter 
place  was  permitted  to  be  the  repository  of  the  saintly  bones  for  about  three 
centuries,  or  until  the  year  1162,  when  they  were  again  removed,  this  time  to  a 
cathedral  in  Cologne,  and  placed  in  a  magnificent  receptacle  called  "  The  Shrine 
of  the  Three  Kings, ' '  where  they  are  still  on  exhibition  to  all  who  visit  that 
splendid  temple  of  worship. 

Murder  of  the  Innocent  Children. 

When  Herod  was  informed  that  the  ' '  Wise  Men ' '  had  departed  without 
observing  his  request,  and  had  already  gone  so  far  on  their  way  towards  the  East 
as  to  be  beyond  his  jurisdiction,  he  was  insanely  revengeful,  and  resolved  upon  a 
most  desperate  measure  to  destroy  the  Babe,  who  it  was  now  currently  declared 
should  become  the  King  of  Israel.  Herod  knew  himself  to  be  a  usurper,  raised 
to  the  throne  chiefly  through  the  influence  of  Mark  Antony,  while  the  priests 
summoned  to  interpret  the  prophecies  respecting  a  Messiah  had  plainly  told  him 
that  the  Babe  was  now  born  who  was  of  the  lineage  of  David,  a  rightful  heir  to 
the  throne,  and  who  had  come  to  judge  Israel.  Having  committed  so  many 
revolting  crimes  to  retain  his  crown,  Herod  was  quick  to  conceive  another  to  rid 
himself  of  this  new  and  lawful  aspirant.  In  an  earlier  chapter  I  have  given  a 
brief  account  of  Herod  the  Great  and  of  the  malady  which  afilicted  his  latter 
years,  tormenting  him  even  more  than  the  remorse  he  suffered  for  the  murder  of 
his  beautiful  and  innocent  queen  Mariamne.  We  may  therefore  consider  him 
now  as  a  tottering  old  man,  seventy- one  years  of  age,  whose  life  was  a  whited 
sepulchre,  by  reason  of  the  plots  against  him,  his  bloodthirstiness,  his  physical 
infirmities  and  his  threatened  dethronement.  Although  a  naturally  bad  man  at 
heart,  and  an  incarnation  of  iniquity  by  practice,  he  thought  to  oppose  the  will 
of  God  by  issuing  an  order  for  the  destruction  of  every  male  under  two  years  of 
age  that  could  be  found  in  ' '  Bethlehem  and  in  all  the  coasts  thereof. ' '  And  the 
order  was  most  cruelly  executed  according  to  the  letter,  none  being  spared,  thus 
again  fulfilling  a  prophecy  spoken  by  Jeremiah.  ' '  In  Rama  was  there  a  voice 
heard,  lamentation  and  weeping,  and  great  mourning :  Rachel  weeping  for  her 
children,  and  would  not  be  comforted,  because  they  are  not." 

Though  popular  tradition  places  the  number  of  children  slain  by  Herod's 
order  at  thousands,  yet  considering  the  sparse  population  in  the  immediate 
district  of  Bethlehem,  it  is  altogether  improbable  that  more  than  a  score  of  inno- 
cents were  slaughtered,  and  it  is  still  more  consistent  with  the  facts  and  condi- 
tions to  believe  that  the  number  did  not  exceed  a  dozen. 

Did  heart  of  suffering  woman  ever  break  for  a  greater  crime  ?  O  Cruelty  ! 
thy  name  is  Herod  !  But  the  festering  and  putrid  wretch  could  do  no  more  to 
innocent  childhood.     His  blood  now  ran  to  ichor ;    his  body  broke  out  into  a 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE.  179 

leprosy  of  pollution,  his  eyes  were  red-shotted,  palsy  was  in  his  hands,  paralysis 
in  his  feet,  distemper  in  his  foul  brain.  All  Israel  was  rejoicing  at  his  suffering, 
and  Jerusalem  was  preparing  a  festival  day  against  his  death.  Would  no  one 
mourn  ?  No,  not  one  for  him  ;  but  with  the  last  words  of  his  kingly  power  he 
thought  to  provide  mourners  by  ordering  that  all  the  most  distinguished  heads 
of  the  Jewish  families  of  Judea  be  brought  together  in  the  Hippodrome,  where 
exciting  games  of  cruel  sport  had  often  entertained  him,  and  on  the  instant  of  his 
death  they  should  be  massacred,  that  Jerusalem  might  not  have  a  gala  day. 
Happily,  when  his  soul  left  its  foul  tenement,  his  edicts  were  revocable  by  the 
will  of  the  people,  and  this  infamous  order  was  therefore  disobeyed. 

The  Escape  into  Egypt. 

Though  many,  possibly  a  score  of  innocent  babes  were  slaughtered  by  the 
cruel  order  of  Herod,  the  one  whose  life  he  specially  sought  was  spared  through 
a  providential  escape.  For  Joseph  had  been  warned  by  God  in  a  dream  of  the 
purpose  of  Herod  and  commanded  to  rise  immediately  and  fly  with  Mary  and  the 
Babe  to  Egypt,  where  he  was  to  remain  until  such  a  time  as  the  danger  would 
be  passed. 

From  the  statement  of  Luke  it  appears  that  directly  after  the  three  ' '  Wise 
Men ' '  had  poured  out  their  libation  of  rich  presents,  and  fallen  down  in  adoration 
of  the  infant  Christ,  that  as  they  took  their  departure  for  the  East,  Mary  and 
Joseph  set  out  for  Nazareth,  which  it  is  made  to  appear  they  reached  before  the 
warning  to  flee  into  Egypt  came  to  Joseph.     For  Luke  says  : 

' '  And  when  they  had  performed  all  things  according  to  the  law  of  the  Lord, 
they  returned  into  Galilee,  to  their  own  city,  Nazareth." 

But  Matthew,  who  alone  records  the  visit  of  the  Magi  and  the  massacre  of 
the  innocents,  says  : 

"And  when  they  were  departed,  behold,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  to 
Joseph  in  a  dream,  saying,  '  Arise,  and  take  the  Young  Child  and  his  mother 
and  flee  into  Egypt,  and  be  thou  there  until  I  bring  thee  word ;  for  Herod  will 
seek  the  Young  Child  to  destroy  Him, '  ' ' 

There  is  however  a  reconcilement  found  in  the  readily  understood  fact  that 
Matthew  tells  the  entire  story,  while  Luke's  account  is  fragmentary',  skipping  as  he 
does  that  portion  describing  the  events  which  befell  Christ  from  the  time  of  the  birth 
until  Mary  and  Joseph  returned  to  Nazareth  after  ending  their  sojourn  in  Egypt. 

On  rising  from  his  dream,  Joseph  must  have  been  filled  with  fear  for  the 
safety  of  his  precious  charge,  even  though  his  confidence  in  the  protecting  care  of 
God  was  very  great.  He  did  not  delay  following  the  admonition  ;  certainly  he 
had  no  need,  for  poverty  may  carry  its  home  everywhere  the  body  goes.  Tliere 
were  no  lands  to  sell,  no  cattle  to  dispose  of,  no  trunks  to  pack.     Only  a  donkey 


i8o  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

to  girth  up,  and  a  staff  to  seize.  So  they  set  out  for  a  strange  country  a  hundred 
miles  away,  probably  through  Hebron  to  say  good-bye  to  Zacharias,  Elizabeth 
and  the  little  boy  John,  down  through  Beersheba,  and  across  the  desert,  making 
straight  for  the  nearest  point  in  Egypt.  Tradition  says  they  stopped  in  or  near 
Heliopolis,  "the  city  of  the  sun,  "  and  a  great  sycamore  tree  on  the  site  of  the 
old  city  is  shown  at  this  late  day,  which  it  is  declared  gave  shelter  to  the  Holy 
Family.  Others  maintain  that  they  took  up  their  abode  in  Memphis,  which  was 
also  on  the  Nile,  twenty  miles  above  Heliopolis,  but  which  was  destroyed  by  the 
Caliph  conquerors  and  the  sculptured  stone  of  its  magnificent  buildings  taken  to 
build  up  Cairo,  nearly  six  hundred  and  fifty  years  after  Christ. 

But  while  tradition  gives  us  an  ample  record  of  the  incidents  connected  with 
the  flight  into  Egypt,  made  up  chiefly  of  miraculous  occurrences,  there  is  very 
little  reliable  information  accessible  relating  either  to  the  flight  or  the  sojourn. 
Joseph,  no  doubt,  adapted  himself  to  his  new  situation  and  took  employment 
among  some  of  the  many  Jews  living  in  Egypt,  following  his  trade  of  carpenter, 
wheelwright,  furniture  maker,  or  other  kinds  of  wood- work,  for  under  the  desig- 
nation of  ' '  carpenter,  ' '  all  these  trades  were  known. 

The  Return  to  Nazareth. 

The  stay  in  Egypt  could  hardly  have  been  pleasant  to  Joseph  and  Mary,, 
because  of  the  idolatrous  practices  of  the  Egyptians,  and  because  there  was  a  hos- 
tile feeling  against  Jews  by  the  Greeks,  large  numbers  of  whom  had  settled  in 
the  Nile  region.  But  it  is  not  probable  that  they  had  to  remain  long  in  this 
place  of  refuge,  as  it  appears,  from  such  history  as  has  been  preserved  relating  to 
the  times,  that  Herod  the  Great  died  within  three  or  four  months  after  ordering  a 
massacre  of  the  infants  in  and  about  Bethlehem,  and  soon  thereafter  Joseph,  by 
angelic  injunction,  returned  to  his  own  country.  His  intentions,  no  doubt,  were 
to  settle  in  Bethlehem,  but  these  were  altered  by  another  dream- vision  which 
instructed  Him  to  pass  by  Jerusalem  and  proceed  to  Nazareth. 

Upon  the  death  of  Herod  the  Great,  his  wicked  son  Archelaus  ascended  the 
throne  and  celebrated  his  accession  by  executing  three  thousand  of  his  subjects 
in  Jerusalem.  He  was  quite  as  bloody-minded  as  his  father,  and  equally  jealous 
of  his  crown,  so  that  he  would  have  gladly  destroyed  the  Infant  Christ  had  it 
been  in  his  power  so  to  do.  It  was  to  avert  this  possibility  that  the  angel  appeared 
to  Joseph  in  a  dream  for  the  third  time,  and  admonished  him  to  avoid  the  vicinity 
of  Jerusalem  and  go  on  to  Nazareth  and  there  make  his  home.  Thus,  while  pre- 
serving the  Saviour,  the  prophecy  was  fulfilled,  ' '  He  shall  be  called  a  Nazarene." 

Nothing  more  is  related  by  the  Apostles  of  the  young  Ijfe  of  our  Lord,  until 
He  was  twelve  years  of  age,  except  that  ' '  the  Child  grew  and  waxed  strong  in 
spirit,  filled  with  wisdom,  and  the  grace  of  God  was  upon  Him." 


CHAPTER  VIIL 

CHRIST,    THE    BOY. 

BOUT  Christ  as  a  village  lad,  in  and  about  Nazareth,  we  have  nothing 
in  the  canonical  books,  and  ^et  it  is  as  a  boy  that  we  must  consider 
him.  There  is  for  the  most  part  a  silence  more  than  eighteen  centu- 
ries long  about  Christ  between  infancy  and  manhood.  What  kind 
of  a  boy  was  he  ?  Was  he  a  genuine  boy  at  all,  or  did  there  settle  upon  him  from 
the  start  all  the  intensities  of  martyrdom  ?  We  have  on  this  subject  only  a  little 
guessing,  a  few  surmises,  and  here  and  there  an  unimportant  "perhaps."  Con- 
cerning what  bounded  that  boyhood  on  both  sides  we  have  whole  libraries  of  books 
and  whole  galleries  of  canvas  and  sculpture.  Before  the  infant  Christ  in  Mary's 
arms,  or  taking  his  first  sleep  in  the  rough  out-house  all  the  painters  bow,  and  we 
have  Paul  Veronese's  "  Holy  Family,"  and  Perugino's  "  Nativity,"  and  Angelico 
da  Fiesole's  "  Infant  Christ,"  and  Rubens'  "Adoration  of  the  Magi,"  and  Tin- 
toretto's "  Adoration  of  the  Magi,"  and  Chirlandojo's  "  Adoration  of  the  Magi," 
and  Raphael's  "Madonna,"  and  Orcagna's  "Madonna,"  and  Murillo's 
"  Madonna,"  and  Madonnas  by  all  the  schools  of  painting  in  all  lights  and  shades, 
and  with  all  styles  of  attractive  feature  and  impressive  surroundings,  but  pen  and 
pencil  and  chisel  have,  with  few  exceptions,  passed  by  Christ,  the  village  lad. 
Yet  by  three  conjoined  evidences,  I  think  we  can  come  to  as  accurate  an  idea  of 
what  Christ  was  as  a  boy  as  we  can  of  what  Christ  was  as  a  man. 

First,  we  have  the  brief  Bible  account.  Then  we  have  the  prolonged  account 
of  what  Christ  was  at  thirty  years  of  age.  Now  you  have  only  to  minify  that 
account  somewhat  and  you  find  what  he  was  at  ten  years  of  age.  Temperaments 
never  change.  A  sanguine  temperament  never  becomes  a  phlegmatic  tempera- 
ment. A  nervous  temperament  never  becomes  a  lymphatic  temperament.  Re- 
ligion changes  one's  affections  and  ambitions,  but  it  is  the  same  old  temperament 
acting  in  a  different  direction.  As  Christ  had  no  religious  change.  He  was  as  a 
lad  what  He  was  as  a  man,  only  on  not  so  large  a  scale.  When  all  tradition,  and 
all  art,  and  all  history  represent  Him  as  a  blonde  with  golden  hair,  I  know  He 
was  in  boyhood  a  blonde. 

Apocryphal  History  of  Christ's  Boyhood. 

We  have,  besides,  an  uninspired  book  that  was  for  the  first  three  or  four  cen- 
turies after  Christ's  appearance  received  by  many  as  inspired,  and  which  gives  a 
prolonged  account  of  Christ's  boyhood.     Some  of  it  may  be  true  ;  most  of  it  may 

(i8i) 


i82  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

be  true  ;  none  of  it  may  be  true.  It  may  be  partly  built  on  facts,  or  by  the  pas- 
sage of  the  ages  some  real  facts  may  have  been  distorted.  But  because  a  book  is 
not  divinely  inspired,  we  are  not  therefore  to  conclude  that  there  are  not  true  things 
in  it.  Prescott's  "Conquest  of  Mexico"  was  not  inspired,  but  we  believe  it 
although  it  may  contain  mistakes.  Macaulay's  "  History  of  England  "  was  not 
inspired,  but  we  believe  it,  although  it  may  have  been  marred  with  many  errors. 
The  so-called  apocryphal  Gospel  in  which  the  boyhood  of  Christ  is  dwelt  upon  I 
do  not  believe  to  be  divinely  inspired,  and  yet  it  may  present  facts  worthy  of  con- 
sideration. Because  it  represents  the  boy  Christ  as  performing  miracles  some  have 
overthrown  that  whole  apocryphal  book.  But  what  right  have  you  to  say  that 
Christ  did  not  perform  miracles  at  ten  years  of  age  as  well  as  at  thirty  ?  He  was 
in  boyhood  as  certainly  divine  as  in  manhood.  Then  while  a  lad  He  must  have 
had  the  power  to  work  miracles,  whether  He  did  or  did  not  work  them.  When, 
having  reached  manhood,  Christ  turned  water  into  wine,  that  was  said  to  be  the 
beginning  of  miracles.  But  that  may  mean  that  it  was  the  beginning  of  that 
series  of  manhood  miracles.  In  a  word,  I  think  that  the  New  Testament  is  only 
a  small  transcript  of  what  Jesus  did  and  said.  Indeed,  John  declares  positively 
that  if  all  Christ  did  and  said  were  written,  the  world  would  not  contain  the  books. 
So  we  are  at  liberty  to  believe  or  reject  those  parts  of  the  apocryphal  Gospel  which 
say  that  when  the  boy  Christ  with  his  mother  passed  a  band  of  thieves.  He  told 
his  mother  that  two  of  them,  Dumachus  and  Titus  by  name,  would  be  the  two 
thieves  who  afterwards  would  expire  on  crosses  beside  Him.  Was  that  more 
wonderful  than  some  of  Christ's  manhood  prophecies?  Or  the  uninspired  story 
that  the  boy  Christ  made  a  fountain  spring  from  the  roots  of  a  sycamore  tree  so 
that  his  mother  washed  his  coat  in  the  stream — was  that  more  unbelievable  than 
the  manhood  miracle  that  changed  common  water  into  a  marriage  beverage  ?  Or 
the  uninspired  story  that  two  sick  children  were  recovered  by  bathing  in  the  water 
where  Christ  had  washed  ?  Was  that  more  wonderful  than  the  manhood  miracle 
by  which  the  woman,  twelve  years  a  complete  invalid,  should  have  been  made 
straight  by  touching  the  fringe  of  Christ's  coat?  Or  the  uninspired  story  that 
when  a  mother  brought  a  dead  child  by  the  name  of  Bartholomew  to  Mary,  the 
mother  of  Christ,  she  said  :  "  Do  thou  place  thy  son  in  my  Son's  bed  and  cover 
him  with  His  clothes ;  "  and,  so  done,  the  dead  child  opened  his  eyes  and  called 
with  a  loud  voice  for  bread.  Is  that  more  wonderful  than  the  manhood  miracles 
by  which  Christ  reanimated  the  dead  again  and  again  without  going  where  they 
were  or  even  seeing  them  ?  Why  should  we  disbelieve  the  apocryphal  New  Testa- 
ment when  it  says  that  a  boy  struck  the  boy  Jesus  till  He  cried  out,  the  one  who 
made  the  assault  afterward  known  as  Judas  Iscariot,  or  the  story  that  Christ  with 
other  boys  made  clay  figures  of  birds,  and  these  clay  figures  took  life  and  flew 
away  ?     Is  that  more  unbelievable  than  the  Bible  account  that  Adam  was  made 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


183 


out  of  clay  and  walked  forth  a  man,  and  afterwards  soared  an  immortal  ?  Not 
half  so  much  of  an  undertaking  to  make  a  bird  out  of  clay  as  to  make  a  man  out 
of  clay.  Or  the  uninspired  story  that  the  boy  Christ  took  the  cloths  of  a  dyer's 
shop  and  threw  them  into  the  fire,  and  after  the  dyer's  protest  and  ejaculation, 
brought  forth 
the  cloths  in  the 
color  that  the 
dyer  wished  ?  Is 
that  more  unbe- 
lievable than  the 
manhood  mira- 
cle in  the  wil- 
derness picnic, 
where  five  bis- 
cuits the  size  of 
your  fist  were 
turned  into 
enough  bread  to 
feed  five  thous- 
and and  the 
fragments  filled 
twelve  baskets  ? 
Or  the  uninspired 
story  that  Joseph 
the  father,  as  a 
carpenter,  hav- 
ing orders  to 
make  a  throne 
for  the  king  at 
Jerusalem,  and 
toiling  two  years 
upon  it,  found 
that  after  it  was 
done  it  was  two 
spans  too  short, 
and  the  boy  took 

hold  of  one  side  of  the  throne  and  his  father  the  other  side  of  it  and  pulled  it  to 
the  right  size  ?  Is  that  any  more  wonderful  than  that  after  growing  to  manhood 
he  folded  up,  as  easily  as  you  would  a  fan,  a  Galilean  hurricane?  Or  the  unin- 
spired story  that  his  comrades  in  their  play  brought  dowers  and  crowned  Him 


MARY  AND  THE  INFANT  JESUS. — From  the  Painting  by  Van  Dyck. 


1 84  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

as  a  King?  I  should  think  they  would  have  done  so.  Or  the  uninspired  story 
that  a  boy  hunting  for  eggs  in  a  partridge  nest  was  stung  by  a  viper  and  the 
poisoned  lad  was  brought  on  a  couch  to  the  boy  Christ,  and  Christ  asked  to  be 
taken  with  the  afflicted  child  to  where  the  child  was  bitten,  and  at  Christ's  com- 
mand the  serpent  with  its  own  mouth  drew  forth  the  poison  from ,  the  wound  ? 
Why,  Christ  has  been  doing  that  through  all  the  ages,  namely,  compelling  the  very 
things  that  wound  us,  under  His  sanctifying  power,  to  bring  us  to  health  and 
Teinvigoration  and  eternal  life.  Or  the  uninspired  stor>'  that  children  were  playing 
on  the  housetop  and  the  boy  Christ  was  there  and  one  of  the  children  was  shoved 
from  the  roof  and  fell  to  the  ground  and  died,  and  the  other  children  charged 
Christ  with  the  misdemeanor,  and  the  boy  Christ  said  :  ' '  Charge  not  me  with  the 
crime,  but  let  us  leave  it  to  the  dead  child  to  settle  the  controversy,"  and  the  boy 
Christ  said  :  "  Zeinumus  !  Zeinumus  !  who  threw  thee  down  from  the  housetop  ?  " 
Then  the  dead  child  spake  and  said:  "Not  Thou,  but  such  a  one  did."  Was 
that  more  wonderful  than  Paul's  resuscitation  of  Eutychus,  who  fell  from  the  win- 
dow while  the  apostle  was  preaching  ?  Or  the  uninspired  story  in  the  apocr>'phal 
New  Testament  which  says  that  Christ  the  boy  was  taken  to  school,  and  Zaccheus, 
the  teacher,  told  Him  the  first  three  letters  of  the  alphabet,  whereupon  Christ  the 
boy  asked  his  teacher  such  profound  questions  concerning  the  alphabet  that  the 
teacher  was  confounded,  and  the  boy  Christ  himself  explained  all  to  the  teacher 
until  Zaccheus  said  to  Joseph,  the  father  of  the  wondrous  boy:  "Thou  hast 
brought  a  boy  to  me  to  be  taught  who  is  more  learned  than  any  master  ;  ' '  then 
the  boy  was  taken  to  a  more  learned  master  who,  angered  at  the  boy's  questions, 
lifted  his  hand  to  whip  Him,  and  the  hand  withered,  as  will  all  the  hands  lifted 
against  Christ  ?  Is  that  more  wonderful  than  the  scene  positively  recorded  by 
Matthew  where  the  D.  D.'s  and  the  IvL,.  D.'s  stood  around  Christ  at  twelve  years 
of  age  in  the  Temple,  utterly  confounded  at  his  precociousness  ?  Or  the  story 
that  Christ  the  boy,  questioned  by  astronomers,  told  them  the  number  of  worlds, 
their  size,  their  circuits  ;  and,  questioned  by  physicians,  told  them  more  about 
anatomy  and  physiology  than  they  had  ever  dreamed  of,  the  number  of  veins, 
arteries,  nerves  and  bones  ?  If  Christ  were  divine,  was  He  not  able  at  ten  or 
twelve  years  to  describe  the  human  system  as  well  as  though  He  had  been  fifty 
years  standing  at  an  operating  table  or  in  a  dissecting  room  ? 

Early  Impressions  ot  Christ. 

In  other  words,  while  I  do  not  believe  that  any  part  of  the  so-called  apocry- 
phal New  Testament  is  inspired,  I  believe  much  of  it  is  true  ;  just  as  I  believe  a 
thousand  books,  none  of  which  are  divinely  inspired.  Much  of  it  was  just  like 
Christ.  Just  as  certain  as  the  man  Christ  was  the  most  of  the  time  getting  men 
out  of  trouble,   I   think  that  the  boy  Christ  was  most  of  the  time  getting  boys 


i86  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

out  of  trouble.  He  did  uot  sit  around  moping  over  what  was  to  be,  or  what  was. 
From  the  way  in  which  natural  objects  en  wreathed  themselves  into  His  sermons- 
after  He  had  become  a  man  I  conclude  there  was  not  a  rock  or  a  hill  or  a  cavern  of 
a  tree  for  miles  around  that  he  was  not  familiar  with  in  childhood.  He  had  cau- 
tiously felt  His  way  down  into  the  caves  and  had  with  lithe  and  agile  limb  gained 
a  poise  on  many  a  high  tree  top.  His  boyhood  was  passed  among  grand  scenery  r.s- 
most  all  the  great  natures  have  passed  early  life  among  the  mountains.  Thc\' 
may  live  now  on  the  flats,  but  they  passed  the  receptive  days  of  ladhood  among  tlie 
hills.  Our  Lord's  boyhood  was  passed  in  a  neighborhood  twelve  hundred  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea  and  surrounded  by  mountains  five  or  six  hundred 
feet  still  higher.  Before  it  could  shine  on  the  village  where  this  boy  slept  the  sun 
had  to  climb  far  enough  up  to  look  over  hills  that  held  their  heads  far  aloft.  From 
yonder  height  his  eye  at  one  sweep  took  in  the"  mighty  scope  of  the  valleys  and 
with  another  sweep  took  in  the  Mediterranean  sea,  and  you  hear  the  grandeur  of 
the  cliffs  and  the  surge  of  the  great  waters  in  His  matchless  sermonology.  One 
day  I  see  that  Divine  boy,  the  wind  flurrying  His  hair  over  His  sun-browned 
forehead,  standing  on  a  hill-top  looking  off  upon  Lake  Tiberias,  on  which  at  one 
time,  according  to  profane  history,  were  four  thousand  ships.  Authors  have  taken 
pains  to  say  that  Christ  was  not  affected  by  these  surroundings,  and  that  He  from 
within  lived  outward  and  independent  of  circumstances.  So  far  from  that  being 
true,  He  was  the  most  sensitive  being  that  ever  walked  the  earth,  and  if  a  pale 
invalid's  weak  finger  could  not  touch  His  robe  without  strength  going  out  from 
Him,  these  mountains  and  seas  could  not  have  touched  His  eye  without  irradiat- 
ing His  entire  nature  with  their  magnificence.  I  warrant  that  He  had  mounted 
and  explored  all  the  fifteen  hills  around  Nazareth,  among  them  Hermon,  with  its 
crystal  coronet  of  perpetual  snow,  and  Carmel  and  Tabor  and  Gilboa,  and  they 
all  had  their  sublime  echo  in  after  time  from  the  Olivetic  pulpit. 

Experiences  from  which  He  drew  His  Sublime  illustrations. 

And  then  it  was  not  uncultivated  grandeur.  These  hills  carried  in  their  arms 
or  on  their  backs  gardens,  groves,  orchards,  terraces,  vineyards,  cactus,  sycamores. 
These  outbranching  foliages  did  not  have  to  wait  for  the  floods  before  their  silence 
was  broken,  for  through  them  and  over  them  and  in  circles  round  them  and  under 
them  were  pelicans,  were  thrushes,  were  sparrows,  were  nightingales,  were  larks. 
were  quails,  were  blackbirds,  were  partridges,  were  bulbuls.  Yonder  the  white 
flocks  of  sheep  snowed  down  over  the  pasture  lands.  And  yonder  the  brook 
rehearses  to  the  pebbles  its  adventures  down  the  rocky  shelving.  Yonder  are  the 
Oriental  homes,  the  housewife  with  pitcher  on  the  shoulder  entering  the  door,  and 
down  the  lawn  in  front  children  re\'eling  among  the  flaming  flora.  And  all  this 
Spring  and  song  and  grass  and  siuishinc  and  sliadow  woven  into  the  most  exquisite 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE.  187- 

nature  that  ever  breathed  or  wept  or  sung  or  suffered.  Through  studying  the  sky- 
between  the  hills  Christ  had  noticed  the  weather  signs,  and  that  a  crimson  sky  at 
night  meant  dry  weather  next  day,  and  that  a  crimson  sky  in  the  morning  meant 
wet  weather  before  night.  And  how  beautifully  He  made  use  of  it  in  after  years 
as  He  drove  down  upon  the  pestiferous  Pharisee  and  Sadducee  by  crying  out  : 
"When  it  is  evening  ye  say  it  will  be  fair  weather,  for  the  sky  is  red,  and  in 
the  morning  it  will  be  foul  weather  to-day,  for  the  sky  is  red,  and  lowering.  O 
ye  hypocrites,  ye  can  discern  the  face  of  the  sky,  but  can  ye  not  discern  the  signs 
of  the  times  ?  "  By  day,  as  every  boy  has  done,  He  watcned  the  hsLvnystrd  fowl 
at  sight  of  overswinging  hawk  cluck  her  chickens  under  wing,  and  in  after  years 
He  said  :  "  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem!  How  often  would  I  have  gathered  thee  as 
a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her  wings  !  "  By  night  He  had  noticed  His- 
mother  by  the  plain  candle-light  which,  as  ever  and  anon  it  was  snuffed  and  the 
removed  wick  put  down  on  the  candlestick,  beamed  brightly  through  all  the 
family  sitting-room  as  His  mother  was  mending  His  garments  that  had  been  torn 
during  the  day's  wanderings  among  the  rocks  or  bushes,  and  years  afterwards  it 
all  came  out  in  the  simile  of  the  greatest  sermon  ever  preached  :  '  *  Neither  do 
men  light  a  candle  and  put  it  under  a  bushel,  but  on  a  candlestick,  and  it  giveth 
light  to  all  who  are  in  the  house.  I^et  your  light  so  shine."  Sometime  when  His 
mother  in  the  autumn  took  out  the  clothes  that  had  been  put  away  for  the 
summer  He  noticed  how  the  moth-miller  flew  out  and  the  coat  dropped  apart, 
ruined  and  useless,  and  so  twenty  years  after  He  enjoined:  "Lay  up  for 
yourselves  treasures  in  heaven  where  neither  moth  nor  rust  can  corrupt. ' '  His- 
boyhood  spent  among  birds  and  flowers,  they  all  caroled  and  bloomed  again 
fifteen  years  after  as  He  cries  out :     "  Behold  the  fowls  of  the  air."     "  Consider 

the  lilies." 

A  Storm  that  Swept  the  Valley. 

A  great  storm  one  day  during  Christ's  boyhood  blackened  the  heavens  and 
angered  the  rivers.  Perhaps  standing  in  the  door  of  the  carpenter's  shop  He 
watched  it  gathering  louder  and  wilder  until  two  cyclones,  one  sweeping  down 
from  Mount  Tabor  and  the  other  from  Mount  Carmel,  met  in  the  valley  of 
Esdraelon  and  two  houses  are  caught  in  the  fury,  and  crash  goes  the  one  and 
triunij^hant  stands  the  other,  and  He  noticed  that  one  had  shifting  sand  for  a 
foundation  and  the  other  an  eternal  rock  for  basis  ;  and  twenty  years  after  He 
built  the  whole  scene  into  a  peroration  of  flood  and  whirlwind  that  seized  His 
audience  and  lifted  them  into  the  heights  of  sublimity  with  the  two  great  arms 
of  pathos  and  terror,  which  sublime  words  I  render,  asking  you  as  far  as  possible 
to  forget  that  you  ever  read  them  before  :  "  Whosoever  heareth  these  sayings  of 
mine,  and  doeth  them,  I  will  liken  him  unto  a  wise  man,  which  built  his  house- 
upon  a  rock  :  and  the  rain  descended,  and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds  blew. 


1 88  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

and  beat  upon  that  house  ;  and  it  fell  not  ;  for  it  was  founded  upon  a  rock.  And 
ever>'  one  that  heareth  these  sayings  of  mine,  and  doeth  them  not,  shall  be  likened 
unto  a  foolish  man,  which  built  his  house  upon  the  sand  ;  and  the  rain  descended, 
and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds  blew,  and  beat  upon  that  house  ;  and  it  fell; 
and  great  was  the  fall  of  it." 

Yes  ;  from  the  naturalness,  the  simplicity,  the  freshness  of  His  parables  and 
similes  and  metaphors  in  manhood  discourse  I  know  that  He  had  been  a  boy  of 
the  fields  and  had  bathed  in  the  streams  and  heard  the  nightingale's  call,  and 


MOUNT   HERMON. 

broken  through  the  flowery  hedge  and  looked  out  of  the  embrasures  of  the  fortress, 
and  drank  from  the  wells  and  chased  the  butterflies,  which  travelers  say  have 
always  been  one  of  the  flitting  beauties  of  that  landscape,  and  talked  with  the 
strange  people  from  Damascus  and  Egypt  and  Sapphoris  and  Syria,  who  in 
caravans  or  on  foot  passed  through  His  neighborhood,  the  dogs  barking  at  their 
approach  at  sundown.  As  afterward  He  was  a  perfect  man,  in  the  time  of  which 
I  write  He  was  a  perfect  boy,  with  the  spring  of  a  boy's  foot,  the  sparkle  of  a 
boy's  eye,  the  rebound  of  a  boy's  life  and  just  the  opposite  of  those  juveniles  who 
sit  around  morbid  and  unelastic,  old  men  at  ten. 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


189. 


Christ  at  the  Bench. 

But  having  shown  you  the  divine  lad  in  the  fields,  I  must  show  you  Him  in 
the  mechanic's  shop.  Joseph,  His -father,  died  very  early,  immediately  after  the 
famous  trip  to  the  Temple,  and  this  lad  had  not  only  to  support  himself  but  to 
support  His  mother,  and  what  that  is  many  of  my  readers  know.  There  is  a  royal 
race  of  boys  on  earth  now 
doing  the  same  thing.  They 
wear  no  crown.  They  have 
no  purple  robe  adroop  from 
their  shoulders.  The  plain 
chair  on  which  they  sit  is 
as  much  unlike  a  throne  as 
anything  you  can  imagine. 
But  God  knows  what  they 
are  doing  and  through  what 
sacrifices  they  go,  and 
through  all  eternity  God 
will  keep  paying  them  for 
their  filial  behavior.  They 
shall  get  full  measure  of 
reward,  the  measure  pressed 
down,  shaken  together  and 
running  over.  They  have 
their  example  in  this  boy 
Christ  taking  care  of  His 
mother.  He  had  been 
taught  the  carpenter's  trade 
by  His  father.  The  boy 
had  done  the  plainer  work 
at  the  shop  while  His  father 
had  put  on  the  finishing 
touches  of  the  work.  The 
boy  al.so  cleared  away  the 
chips  and  blocks  and  shav- 

,T   1   1    J  1   1  1  4-1  A  CARPENTKR  SHOP  IN  NAZARKTH. 

mgs.      He  helped  hold  the 

different  pieces  of  work  while  the  father  joined  them.  In  our  day  we  have  all 
kinds  of  mechanics  and  the  work  is  divided  up  among  them.  But  to  be  a  carpenter 
in  Christ's  boyhood  days  meant  to  make  plows,  yokes,  shovels,  wagons,  tables, 
chairs,  sofas,  houses,  and  almost  ever>'thing  that  was  made.  Fortunate  was  it 
that  the  boy  had  learned  a  trade,  for,  when  the  head  of  the   family  dies,  it  is  a 


I90  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

grand  thing  to  have  the  child  able  to  take  care  of  hiniselt  and  help  take  care  of 
others.  Now  that  Joseph,  His  father,  is  dead,  and  the  responsibility  of  family- 
support  comes  down  on  this  Boy,  I  hear  from  morning  to  night  His  hammer 
pounding,  His  saw  vacillating.  His  axe  descending,  His  gimlets  boring,  and 
standing  amid  the  dust  and  debris  of  the  shop,  I  find  the  perspiration  gathering 
on  His  temples  and  notice  the  fatigue  of  His  arm,  and  as  He  stops  a  moment  to 
rest  I  see  Him  panting.  His  hand  on  His  side,  from  the  exhaustion.  Now  He 
goes  forth  in  the  morning  loaded  with  implements  of  work  heavier  than  any 
modern  kit  of  tools.  Under  the  tropical  sun  He  swelters.  Lifting,  pulling, 
adjusting,  cleaving,  splitting  all  day  long.  At  nightfall  He  goes  home  to  the 
plain  supper  provided  by  His  mother  and  sits  down  too  tired  to  talk.  Work  ! 
work  !  work  !  You  cannot  tell  Christ  anything  new  about  blistered  hands,  or 
aching  ankles,  or  bruised  fingers,  or  stiff  joints,  or  rising  in  the  morning  as  tired 
-as  when  you  lay  down.  While  yet  a  boy  He  knew  it  all.  He  felt  it  all.  He 
suffered  it  all.  The  boy  carpenter!  The  boy  wagon  maker!  The  boy  house 
builder  !  O  Christ,  we  have  seen  Thee  when  full-grown  in  Pilate's  police  couit 
room,  we  have  seen  Thee  when  full-grown  Thou  wert  assassinated  on  Golgotha, 
but,  O  Christ,  let  all  the  weary  artisans  and  mechanics  of  the  earth  see  Thee  while 
yet  undersized  and  arms  not  yet  muscularized,  and  with  the  undeveloped  strength 
of  juvenescence  trying  to  take  Thy  father's  place  in  gaining  a  liveHhood  for  the 

family. 

Christ  Teaching  the  Doctors. 

But,  having  seen  Christ,  the  boy  of  the  fields  and  the  boy  in  the  mechanic's 
-shop,  I  show  you  a  more  marvelous  scene,  Christ  the  smooth-browed  lad  among 
the  long-bearded,  white-haired,  high-foreheaded  ecclesiastics  of  the  Temple. 
Hundreds  of  thousands  of  strangers  had  come  to  Jerusalem  to  keep  a  great 
religious  festival.  After  the  hospitable  homes  were  crowded  with  visitors,  the 
tents  were  spread  all  around  the  city  to  shelter  immense  throngs  of  strangers.  It 
was  very  easy  among  the  vast  throngs  coming  and  going  to  lose  a  child.  More 
than  two  million  people  have  been  known  to  gather  at  Jerusalem  for  that  national 
:feast.  You  must  not  think  of  those  regions  as  sparsely  settled.  The  ancient 
historian  Josephus  says  there  were  in  Galilee  two  hundred  cities,  the  smallest  of 
them  containing  fifteen  thousand  people.  No  wonder  that  amid  the  crowds  at 
the  time  spoken  of,  Jesus  the  boy  was  lost.  His  parents,  knowing  that  he  was 
mature  enough  and  agile  enough  to  take  care  of  Himself,  are  on  their  way  home 
without  any  anxiety,  supposing  that  their  Boy  is  coming  with  sonie  of  the  groups. 
But  after  a  while  they  suspect  He  is  lost,  and  with  flushed  cheek  and  a  terrorized 
look  they  rush  this  way  and  that,  saying:  "Have  you  seen  anything  of  my 
boy  ?  He  is  twelve  years  of  age,  of  fair  complexion  and  has  blue  eyes  and 
.  auburn  hair.     Have  you  seen  Him  since  we  left  the  city  ? ' '      Back  they  go  in  hot 


192  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

haste,  in  and  out  the  streets,  in  and  out  the  private  houses  and  among  the  sur- 
rounding hills.  For  three  days  they  search  and  inquire,  wondering  if  He  has 
been  trampled  under  foot  of  some  of  the  throngs  or  has  ventured  on  the  cliffs  or 
fallen  off  a  precipice.  Send  through  all  the  streets  and  lanes  of  the  city  and 
among  all  the  surrounding  hills  that  most  dismal  sound,  ' '  A  lost  child  !  A  lost 
child  !  '"  And  lo,  after  three  days,  they  discover  Him  in  the  great  Temple,  seated 
among  the  mightiest  religionists  of  all  the  world.  The  walls  of  no  other  building 
ever  looked  down  on  siich  a  scene.  A  child  twelve  years  old  surrounded  by 
septuagenarians,  He  asking  His  own  questions  and  answering  theirs.  I^et  me 
introduce  3^ou  to  some  of  these  ecclesiastics.  This  is  the  great  Rabbi  Simeon  ! 
This  is  the  venerable  Hillel  !  This  is  the  famous  Shammai  !  These  are  the  sons 
of  the  distinguished  Betirah.  What  can  this  twelve-year  L,ad  teach  them,  or  what 
questions  can  He  ask  worthy  their  cogitation  ?  Ah,  the  first  time  in  all  their 
lives  these  religionists  have  found  their  match  and  more  than  their  match. 
Though  so  young,  He  knew  all  about  that  famous  Temple,  under  whose  roof  they 
held  that  most  wonderful  discussion  of  all  history.  He  knew  the  meaning  of 
every  altar,  of  every  sacrifice,  of  every  golden  candlestick,  of  every  embroidered 
curtain,  of  every  crumb  of  shewbread,  of  every  drop  of  oil  in  that  sacred  edifice. 
He  knew  all  about  God.  He  knew  all  about  man.  .  He  knew  all  about  heaven, 
for  He  came  from  it.  He  knew  all  about  this  world,  for  He  made  it.  He  knew 
all  worlds,  for  they  were  only  the  sparkling  morning  dewdrops  on  the  lawn  in 
front  of  His  heavenly  palace.  Put  these  seven  Bible  words  in  a  wreath  of 
emphasis  :    ' '  Both  hearing  them  and  asking  them  questions. ' ' 

The  Doctors  Confounded. 

We  are  not  so  much  interested  in  the  questions  they  asked  Him  as  in  the 
questions  He  asked  them.  He  asked  the  questions  not  to  get  information  from 
the  doctors,  for  He  knew  it  already,  but  to  humble  them  by  showing  them  the 
height  and  depth  and  length  and  breadth  of  their  own  ignorance.  While  the 
radiant  Boy  thrusts  these  self-conceited  philosophers  with  the  interrogation  point, 
they  put  the  fore-finger  of  the  right  hand  to  the  temple  as  though  to  start  their 
thoughts  into  more  vigor,  and  then  they  would  look  upward  and  then  they  would 
wrinkle  their  brows  and  then  by  absolute  silence  or  in  positive  words  confess 
their  incapacity  to  answer  the  interrogatory.  With  any  one  of  a  hundred 
questions  about  theology,  about  philosophy,  about  astronomy,  about  time,  about 
eternity,  He  may  have  balked  them,  disconcerted  them,  flung  them  flat.  Behold 
the  boy  Christ  asking  questions.  He  has  the  right  to  ask  them.  '  It  is  Christ-like 
to  ask  questions.  Answer  them  if  you  can.  Do  not  say.:  "  I  can't  be  bothered 
now."  It  is  your  place  to  be  bothered  with  questions.  If  you  are  not  able  to 
answer,  surrender  and  confess  your  incapacity,  as  I  have  no  doubt  did  Rabbi 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


193 


Simeon  and  Hillel  and  Shammai  and  the  sons  of  Betirah  when  that  splendid  Boy, 
sitting  or  standing  there,  with  a  garment  reaching  from  neck  to  ankle  and 
girdled  at  the  waist,  put  them  to  their  very  wit's  end.  It  is  no  disgrace  to  say  : 
"I  don't  know."  The  learned  doctors  who  environed  Christ  that  day  in  the 
Temple  did  not  know  or  they  w^ould  not  have  asked  Him  any  questions.  The 
fact  that  they  did  not  know  .sent  Kepler  and  Cuvier  and  Columbus  and  Humboldt 
and  Herschel  and  Morse  and  Sir  William  Hamilton  and  all  the  other  of  the 
world's  mightiest  natures  into  their  life-long  explorations.  Telescope  and  micro- 
scope and  stethoscope  and  electric  battery  and  all  the  scientific  apparatus  of  all 
the  ages  are  only  questions  asked  at  the  door  of  mystery.  Behold  this  Nazarene 
lad  asking  questions,  giving  everlasting  dignity  to  earnest  interrogation. 

The  best  thing  that  Rabbi  Simeon  and  Hillel  and  Shammai  and  the  sons  of 
Betirah  ever  did  was  in  the  Temple,  to  bend  over  the  Lad  who,  first  made  ruddy 
of  cheek  by  the  breath  of  the  Judean  hills,  and  on  His  way  to  the  mechanic's 
shop  where  He  was  soon  to  be  the  support  of  His  bereaved  mother,  stopped  long 
enough  to  grapple  with  the  venerable  dialecticians  of  the  Orient,  ' '  both  hearing 
them  and  asking  them  questions."  Many  have  cried  out  in  admiration  of  Christ, 
Ecce  Homo  !  Behold  the  Man  !  or  Ecc(;  Dens  !  Behold  the  God  !  but  I  close  this 
chapter  by  writing  Ecce  Adolesceus  !     Behold  the  Boy  ! 


13 


--#1 


W<n^^ 


l/v  .  (  Ite/^cu-yiMxX^ 


^ 


CHAPTER  IX. 

A  VOICE    FROM    THE   WILDERNESS. 

IN  a  previous  chapter,  the  birth  of  John,  surnamed  the  Baptist,  is  described, 
also  the  prophecy  of  his  appearance  as  a  forerunner  to  declare  and  make 
way  for  the  true  Messiah.  Beyond  the  statement  that  "  the  Child  grew, 
and  waxed  strong  in  spirit,  and  was  in  the  deserts  till  the  day  of  His 
showing  unto  Israel,"  nothing  is  recorded  concerning  his  youth,  and  it  is  a  notice- 
able coincidence  that  the  Apostolic  writers  have  given  almost  identical  attention  to 
the  two  infants,  Christ  and  John,  apparently  regarding  the  childhood  of  each  as 
being  unworthy  of  significance  beyond  the  mere  prophetic  announcement  of  their 
respective  callings,  thus  leaving  to  imagination  their  boyhood  careers,  and  to 
tradition  the  record  of  their  wondrous  acts  prior  to  their  ministry. 

As  Joseph  passes  from  our  sight  after  the  return  to  Nazareth,  so  do  Zacharias 
and  Elizabeth  disappear  from  Scripture  annals  upon  the  birth  of  John.  There  is 
a  painful  silence  among  the  sacred  historians  that  makes  us  pause  for  explanation. 
But  taking  up  the  broken  chain  on  which  the  narrative  is  dependent,  examination 
of  its  several  links  discloses  some  fragments  of  facts  with  which  to  build  a  half- 
satisfying  connection. 

Being  the  son  of  a  priest,  John  became  also  a  priest  by  heirship,  and  whether 
his  father  lived  to  instruct  him,  or  died  leaving  him  to  the  care  of  the  priestly- 
college  in  the  Temple,  his  training  must  have  been  the  same.  Being  therefore 
early  brought  under  the  charge  of  the  priesthood  he  became  educated  in  the  law 
of  the  prophets  at  the  most  impressionable  age,  and  having  no  doubt  heard  from 
the  lips  of  his  parents  the  story  of  his  call  to  be  a  forerunner  of  the  Messiah,  he 
became  enthusiastically  impressed  with  his  mission  and  sought  means  to  especially 
prepare  himself  for  it.  So  he  retired  into  the  desert,  adapted  the  life  of  an  ascetic, 
restricted  his  diet  to  wild  fruits,  to  locusts  and  to  wild  honey,  and  applied  himself 
to  study. 

In  the  early  centuries  it  was  common  for  men  who  desired  to  devote  them- 
selves to  pious  deeds  and  holy  reflection,  to  retire  to  desert  places,  to  caves  and 
localities  remote  from  human  habitation,  where  they  were  least  likely  to  come  in 
contact,  or  to  be  seen  of  other  men,  and  there  hold  communion  with  nature  and 
their  better  aspirations.  There  are  numerous  examples  of  this  active  and  holy 
life  in  history,  such  as  Elijah,  Jeremiah,  and  in  later  years  of  St.  Anthony  and 
Peter  the  Hermit.     In  Palestine  it  was  not  difficult  to  find  subsistence  even  in  the 

(194) 


J  '"      ^'    '  '  FT?-! 

r^^  ■^■r  ♦•%  r 


(195) 


196  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

wildest,  most  remote  and  sterile  districts.  The  country  generally  abounded  with 
caves  which  might  serve  as  excellent  shelter,  while  in  the  clefts  of  rocks  and  trees 
there  were  great  stores  of  honey,  and  in  the  warm  season  locusts — similar  to  our 
grasshoppers — were  very  abundant,  and  an  article  of  common  diet,  as  they  are  yet 
in  Arabia  and  in  portions  of  Africa.  For  clothing,  a  camel's  skin  would  serve 
many  years,  and  this  might  be  easily  procured,  as  the  people  held  such  cave- 
dwellers  in  high  repute  and  were  glad  to  minister  to  their  wants. 

So  John  lived  in  the  wilderness  of  Judea  for  a  period  of  many  years,  having 
probably  left  the  Temple  before  the  attainment  of  his  majority,  to  spend  his  life 
in  meditation  and  a  preparation  for  the  duty  of  bringing  the  world  to  repentance 
through  the  Messiah  who  was  to  come. 

When  at  length  he  felt  himself  ready  to  undertake  this  great  work,  the  cir- 
cumstances were  auspicious  for  declaring  his  gospel  to  the  people.  His  long  with- 
drawal from  society  had  served  to  give  him  an  austere  appearance,  we  must 
believe,  and  his  self-fechooling  had  resulted  in  a  confidence  and  hardihood  which 
made  him  bold  in  his  discourse,  so  that  his  speech  must  have  been  ablaze  with 
enthusiasm.  But  more  favorable  to  his  purpose  was  the  fear,  if  not  reverent 
regard,  which  the  people  felt  for  those  who  practiced  austerities  and  had  lived  in 
rigorous  asceticism  to  attain  a  higher  conception  of  the  Deity.  Such  a  one,  on 
emerging  from  his  protracted  retirement,  was  regarded  as  a  most  holy  man  who, 
having  long  been  in  communion  with  God,  was  sent  as  a  herald  to  declare  the 
Divine  will.  Therefore,  the  appearance  of  John,  with  disheveled  hair  and  only 
a  raiment  of  camel's  hair  about  his  body,  held  in  place  by  a  leathern  girdle,  bare- 
footed, bare-armed  and  uncropped  beard,  must  have  been  almost  appalling.  And 
when  he  spoke  with  such  earnestness,  such  wisdom,  such  pious  zeal,  the  people 
first  stopped  to  gaze,  then  to  wonder,  and  while  wondering  they  became  convicted 

and  converted. 

The  Spirit  that  Instructed  John. 

We  must  not  conclude  that  John  was  a  misanthrope,  or  the  victim  of  jeal- 
ousy, but  rather  that  he  was  called  of  God  to  perform  a  great  duty  which  only 
years  of  preparation  could  qualify  him  for.  God  moves  in  mysterious  ways,  and 
it  was  through  the  operation  of  this  singular  will  that  John  was  influenced  to 
repair  to  the  wilderness,  and,  as  already  seen,  the  wisdom  of  the  purpose  is 
manifest.  On  his  emergence,  John  was  not  ignorant  of  the  current  events,  as  we 
might  suppose  one  to  be  who  had  long  avoided  association  with  men,  but  on  the 
other  hand  he  was  as  well  instructed  in  the  affairs  of  the  people,  the  wrongs 
under  which  they  suffered,  the  hypocrisy  and  debauchery -of  Herod  Antipas,  who 
had  succeeded  Archelaus,  as  he  was  lettered  in  the  law,  and  he  launched  his  bolts 
with  God-like  fearlessness  against  the  corruption  of  the  time,  selecting  the  most 
prominent  targets  at  which  to  aim   his  shafts,   at  the  same  time  speaking  as  a 


FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


197 


prophet,   and  with  warning  voice  saying:     "Repent  ye,   for  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven  is  at  hand. ' ' 

To  the  people  of  Judea  these  words  had  peculiar  significance.  During  the 
thirty  years  that  had  elapsed  since  the  death  of  Herod  the  Great,  mighty  events 
had  happened  of  vast  import  to  the  Jews.  All  Judah  was  a  festival  when  Herod 
died,  but  the  rejoicing  at  the  taking  off  of  such  a  monster  was  for  a  very  short 
time.  Archelaus,  his  dissolute  son,  succeeded  him,  who  had  hardly  come  to  the 
throne  when  an  insurrection  broke  out  in  Jerusalem  that  was  not  put  down  until 
three  thousand  of  the  rioters  were 
slaughtered.  This  bloody  inaugu- 
ration of  Archelaus'  reign  occurred 
during  the  annual  celebration  of  the 
Passover  and  set  the  people  in  such 
a  ferment  of  excitement  and  mourn- 
ing that  the  festival  was  abandoned, 
a  result  which  every  devout  Jew  re- 
garded as  portentous  of  some  great 
calamity. 

The  reign  of  Archelaus,  wiiose 
rulership  as  ethnarch  was  over  Judea 
and  Samaria,  was  terminated  after 
nine  years  by  a  complaint  preferred 
against  him  by  his  brothers,  Antipas 
and  Philip,  charging  most  infamous 
acts  of  tyranny,  on  account  of  which 
Augustus  banished  him  to  Vienne, 
in  Gaul,  where  he  died.  Perhaps 
Augustus  had  another  motive  than 
the  mere  punishment  of  Archelaus, 
for  directly  after  pronouncing  the 
sentence  of  banishment  against  the 
ethnarch,  he  attached  Judea  and  Samaria  to  Syria,  and  the  whole  made  a 
Roman  province  over  which  governors,  called  by  the  Romans  Procurators^  were 
appointed  to  rule. 

Prior  to  this  act  there  was  a  semblance  of  independence  and  absolute  freedom 
of  religious  worship  accorded  the  Jews,  but  with  this  extension  of  Roman 
authority  their  civil  and  ecclesiastical  rights  were  utterly  destroyed,  even  the 
immemorial  hereditary  office  of  High  Priest  being  subordinated  and  made  the 
creation  of  the  Emperor's  pleasure  as  to  appointment  and  deposition.  The  office 
thus  became  a  shuttle-cock,   flying  from  one  to  another,  at  the  stroke  of  petty 


JOHN  THE  BAPTIST.  — From  the  Painting  by 
Antonio  Beltraffio. 


198  FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

politicians  who  could  gain  the  short  favor  of  Augustus.  Nor  was  the  procura- 
torship  much  less  variable,  for  from  the  death  of  Archelaus  until  the  appearance 
of  John  the  Baptist  there  were  six  governors,  Pontius  Pilate  being  appointed  to 
the  office  about  four  years  before  the  showing  forth  of  John.  One  of  Pilate's  first 
acts  was  to  remove  the  army  headquarters  from  Csesarea  to  Jerusalem,  which,  of 
course,  brought  the  standards  bearing  the  image  of  the  Emperor  to  the  Capital 
city,  which  was  followed  by  a  curious  request  made  by  the  Jews  for  a  removal  of 
the  images.  This  led  to  a  violent  outbreak  and  threatened  slaughter,  which  was 
only  averted  by  Pilate  yielding  to  the  public  demand.  But  the  people,  while 
temporarily  appeased,  were  inflamed  by  other  arbitrary  and  oppressive  orders 
which  rendered  them  open  for  revolt,  being,  in  fact,  restrained  only  by  the  lack 
of  a  leader. 

This  sorry  condition  of  affairs,  in  connection  with  the  prophecies  so  well 
understood,  that  the  time  for  the  promised  Deliverer  of  Israel  was  now  come,  and 
the  report  that  He  had  actually  appeared,  inflamed  the  Jewish  population  with 
excited  expectation,  and  when  John  came  preaching  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
was  at  hand,  the  people  were  ready  to  hail  him  as  the  incarnation  of  Elias 
(Elijah)  the  old  prophet,  or  the  Messiah  Himself.  His  appearance  was  that  of  a 
prophet,  and  his  teachings  showed  remarkable  familiarity  with  the  law.  When 
they  began  to  inquire  as  to  his  antecedents  they  found  he  was  of  the  priestly 
order,  and  that  his  birth  had  been  divinely  announced.  These  facts  intensified 
their  enthusiasm,  and  all  of  Judea  gathered  about  him  to  hear  his  impassioned 
declarations.  As  he  taught  repentance  as  the  first  necessary  condition  for  the 
reception  of  the  Messiah,  thousands  accepted  the  faith,  confessed  their  sins  and 
were  baptized  in  the  Jordan.  The  exact  form  of  baptism  performed  or  enjoined 
by  John  is  not  known,  especially  as  it  was  a  rite  which  seems  to  have  been 
established  by  him,  and  up  to  this  time  practiced  by  no  nation  or  sect.  But  it 
was  no  less  readily  adopted,  whatever  the  precise  form  of  administration,  and 
thousands  accepted  it  as  the  seal  of  their  conversion.  It  may  have  been  a  modi- 
fication of  an  old  obsolete  ceremony  which  the  Jews  performed  upon  proselytes 
from  heathenism,  but  as  to  this  we  have  no  certain  authority.  It  is  more 
probable  that  the  people  expected  that  new  forms  would  be  instituted  by  the 
Messiah  in  accordance  with  the  prophecy  long  before  given  "that  all  things 
should  become  new. ' ' 

Crystal  Gates  of  the  Jordan. 

All  classes,  whether  Pharisees  or  Sadducees,  the  irreconcilable  ritualist  and 
the  Samaritan  liberal,  became  alike  convicted  under  Joh'n's  powerful  teachings, 
and  while  some  caviled  and  catechised,  he  gave  every  one  an  answer  so  conclu- 
sive that  none  were  able  to  dispute. 


200 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


The  thousands  whom  John  led  down  into  the  river  Jordan  for  baptism  came 
up  not  only  glorifying  God,  but  were  ready  to  hail  hira  as  the  expected  Messiah. 
He  had  the  opportunity  to  establish  himself  as  such  in  the  belief  of  the  people, 
but  disdaining  the  promptings  of  such  a  vain  ambition,  if  he  ever  felt  it,  he 
declared  that  he  was  neither  Elias  nor  the  Messiah,  but  that  instead  he  only 
declared  to  them  One  whom  they  did  not  yet  know,  whose  superiority  was  so 


RUINS   OF  ANCIENT   FORTIFICATIONS   AT   C^SAREA    PHIUPPI. 

great  that  he  was  unworthy  even  to  unloose  the  thong  that  bound  the  sandal 
to  His  foot — an  office  which  slaves  performed  for  their  masters.    . 

John  had  probably  been  preaching  to  immense  crowds  and  baptizing  in  the 
Jordan  for  a  period  of  six  months,  before  the  One  whom  he  had  come  to 
announce,  and  for  whose  presence  he  had  no  doubt  been  anxiously  longing,  made 
His  appearance  before  the  Baptist.     Jesus,  now  thirty  years  of  age,  and  therefore 


FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE.  201 

eligible  for  priestly  consecration — had  He  been  of  the  priestly  order— had  passed 
the  time  appointed  for  His  seclusion,  and  laying  aside  the  implements  of  his  trade, 
was  ready  to  go  forth  upon  His  ministry.  It  is  difficult  to  believe  that  John  and 
Jesus  were  unacquainted  with  each  other ;  their  relationship  as  well  as  the 
annual  Passover  and  other  Jewish  festivals  which  took  them  to  Jerusalem,  would 
certainly  bring  them  together,  and  each  understanding  the  divine  appointment  of 
the  other  would,  except  under  extraordinary  circumstances,  or  divine  purpose, 
cause  them  to  court  the  society  of  one  another.  Yet  from  the  gospel  text  we  are 
almost  led  to  believe  that  they  were  strangers,  whose  introduction  had  been  left 
to  God. 

Baptism  of  Jesus. 

Thus  while  John  was  preaching  and  baptizing,  surroundea  by  immense  con- 
gregations, packed  so  closely  together  that  the  identity  of  a  single  individual  was 
almost  impossible  in  such  a  sea  of  faces,  there  was  one  who  yet  attracted  the 
Baptist's  attention.  Not  by  His  intrusive  manner,  His  loud  babbling.  His 
persistence  in  crowding  His  way  through  to  a  conspicuous  place,  His  annoying 
questions  or  loud  shouting.  No,  by  none  of  these  ;  but  by  His  sweet  face,  meek 
manners,  quiet  deportment,  and  the  graciousness  of  all  His  ways,  which  marked 
Him  as  one  in  whom  the  grace  of  God  seemed  to  have  its  lodging.  And  when 
this  devout-appearing  stranger  moved  toward  the  preacher  and  asked  that  the 
ceremony  of  baptism  might  be  administered  to  Him,  John  recognized  Him,  through 
inspiration  if  not  acquaintanceship,  and  before  the  assembled  thousands  acknow- 
ledged His  Messiahship,  saying,  "  I  have  need  to  be  baptized  of  Thee,  and  comest 
Thou  to  me  ?  "  To  this,  with  reverence  of  manner  and  meekness  of  speech,  Jesus 
softly  replied  : 

' '  Suffer  it  to  be  so  now  ;  for  thus  it  becometh  us  to  fulfill  all  righteousness. ' ' 

Then  John  and  Jesus  walked  down  together  beyond  the  water's  edge  into  the 
stream  that  had  been  the  scene  of  so  many  miracles,  and  which  had  filled  so  large 
a  space  in  Jewish  history- ,  into  the  waters  that  had  parted  at  the  lashing  of  Elijah's 
girdle,  and  which  separated  at  the  touch  of  the  feet  of  those  who  bore  the  ark,  at 
Joshua's  command,  towards  Jericho  ;  whose  bed  was  the  repository  of  memorial 
stones,  whose  ford  was  a  hiding  place  for  Gideon  when  he  rose  up  to  overwhelm 
the  Midianites  ;  into  the  Jordan,  the  eastern  boundary  of  the  promised  land  and 
which  has  ever  since  been  a  symbol  of  the  dividing  line  between  this  world  and 
heaven.  And  when  the  two  were  in  the  waters  John  gave  baptism  to  our  Saviour 
who,  coming  up  out  of  the  flood,  gave  voice  to  prayer  ;  and  as  He  prayed,  lo  ! 
behold  the  heavens  opened  wide  to  let  out  an  angelic  chorus  of  praise,  and  down 
came  fluttering  on  whitest  pinions  a  snowy  dove,  the  type  of  purity,  of  innocence, 
of  spiritual  blessedness,  and  rested  upon  the  head  of  the  Holy  One.     Then  from 


202  FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

the  violet-banked,  and  jewel-  emblazoned  parapets  of  Paradise  swept  down  the 
divine  acknowledgment  and  benediction  : 

"This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased." 

The  baptism  of  Jesus  by  John  had  a  twofold  significance,  in  that  it  was  a 
sign  of  the  obedience  of  Jesus  to  the  law,  and  to  injunctions  laid  by  custom  ;  His 
amenability  to  all  the  conditions  imposed  on  others  seeking  a  full  fellowship  with 
the  church.  He  permitted  the  ceremony  in  order  to  set  the  seal  of  His  approval 
of  the  act  as  a  type  not  only  of  conversion,  but  of  regeneration,  a  prefigurement 
of  His  after  labor  and  sacrifices  for  the  world's  redemption. 

Although  thousands  must  have  witnessed  the  miraculous  acknowledgment 
of  His  Messiahship,  yet  the  meekness  of  the  God-man,  the  quiet  sweetness  of  His 
manners,  as  opposed  to  the  conception  of  the  Jews,  who  expected  their  Deliverer 
to  appear  clothed  in  a  majesty  terrible  to  behold  and  bearing  in  His  hands  thunder- 
bolts of  vengeance  with  which  to  destroy  their  enemies,  prevented  them  from 
accepting  this  manifestation  as  a  conclusive  proof  of  His  Messiahship.  Nor  did 
Jesus  tarry  among  the  crowd  to  give  them  further  evidence  of  His  divine  attri- 
butes and  holy  purposes.  But  He  knew  that  the  preparation  for  His  active 
ministry  was  now  complete  and  He  only  awaited  the  direction  of  His  father  for 
His  showing  forth  to  the  people. 

The  Teachings  of  John. 

John  himself  does  not  appear  to  have  had  any  opportunity  for  conversing 
with  Jesus  after  the  baptism,  nor  did  he  have  a  spiritual  insight  into  the  scheme 
of  salvation — the  doctrines  which  Jesus  would  employ  as  a  foundation  for  His 
teachings.  Indeed,  in  some  respects  the  preaching  of  John  was  not  apposite  to 
the  cause  which  Christ  represented,  for  John  came  preaching  repentance  only  and 
not  regeneration.  His  gospel  was  love,  and  yet  it  is  strongly  impregnated  with 
the  intolerance  felt  by  all  ancients  for  their  enemies.  Exclamations  such  as 
"  O,  ye  generation  of  vipers  !  "  "He  shall  baptize  you  with  fire  !  "  and  other 
like  wrathful  expressions,  are  indicative  of  a  nature  that  is  not  wholly  purged  of 
hatred  towards  enemies,  and  is  the  immediate  opposite  to  that  of  Christ.  Again, 
it  would  appear  that  in  the  hour  of  his  affliction,  when  in  the  great  gloomy  castle 
prison  of  Machaerus,  John  seems  to  have  doubted  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus,  for 
Matthew  tells  us  that  he  sent  two  disciples  to  put  to  our  Lord  the  question  :  ' '  Art 
thou  He  that  should  come  ?  or  look  we  for  another  ?  ' ' 

And  yet  on  the  other  hand  John  preached  a  boundless  love,  and  a  charity 
which  almost  passeth  understanding  :  "He  that  hath  two  coats  let'  him  impart  to 
him  that  hath  none  ;  and  he  that  hath  meat  let  him  do  likewise.  Do  violence  to 
no  man ,  neither  accuse  any  falsely  ;  and  be  content  with  your  wages,  nor  exact 
any  more  than    that  which   is  promised  you."     His  self-abnegation  is  no  less 


THK  TEMPLE  COURT  >T  JERUSALEM. 


(203) 


204  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

conspicuous,  and  his  whole  Hfe  is  a  type  of  perfect  manhood.  In  the  early  part 
of  his  ministry  he  appears  to  have  perceived  only  the  shadow  of  a  spiritual  exist- 
ence ;  nowhere  did  he  preach  that  repentance  brought  a  heavenly  reward,  being 
in  the  clouds  of  half-material,  half  spiritual  belief  respecting  the  destiny  of  the 
race,  like  his  forefathers,  the  rabbis,  as  well  as  the  common  people  :  catching  a 
most  uncertain  perception  of  the  hereafter,  just  enough  to  keep  him  confused,  yet 
sufficient  to  preserve  him  from  materialism.  But  in  his  testimony  to  the  Messiah- 
ship  we  discover  a  light  breaking  through  the  vail  that  concealed  from  him  a 
knowledge  of  the  glorious  condition  of  the  blessed  beyond  the  grave,  for  he  said, 
' '  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life  :  and  he  that  believeth  not 
the  Son  shall  not  see  life  ;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  Him." 

A  Crowned  Villain  Denounced. 

After  the  baptism  of  Jesus,  He  was  ready  to  enter  upon  an  active  ministry, 
and  departeii  from  John  to  undergo  His  first  trials  on  the  mountain  of  Quar- 
antana,  as  will  be  presently  described.  But  John  continued  his  exhortations  in 
Galilee,  both  preaching  and  baptizing.  So  great  was  the  excitement  which  he 
created  that  even  Herod  Antipas,  tetrarch  of  Galilee  and  Peraea,  went  out  to 
hear  him,  and  became  so  favorably  influenced  that  he  was  upon  the  point  of 
acknowledging  conviction,  and  doubtless  would  even  have  been  baptized  but  for 
John's  bold  denunciation  of  the  tetrarch's  crimes.  Herod  had  gained  some  popu- 
larity with  his  subjects  by  reason  of  several  liberal  acts  that  had  distinguished 
the  early  part  of  his  administration,  but  he  lost  whatever  good  opinion  that  had 
thus  been  formed  by  a  most  impolitic  as  well  as  criminal  act.  He  had  married 
the  daughter  of  Aretas,  King  of  Arabia  Petraea,  but  soon  tiring  of  her,  and  yet 
without  procuring  a  divorcement,  he  made  overtures  of  marriage  to  Herodias,  the 
wife  of  his  half-brother,  Herod  Philip,  who  had  been  excluded  from  any  share  in 
the  possessions  of  Herod  the  Great,  his  father.  But  Herodias  had  lived  several 
years  as  wife  to  Herod  Philip,  by  whom  she  had  a  daughter  named  Salome. 
Both  mother  and  daughter  were  ambitious,  and  thought  no  act  too  monstrous  if 
by  it  they  might  rise  to  power.  Hence,  as  Herod  Philip  was  not  above  a  private 
station,  the  overtures  of  the  tetrarch  were  received  with  favor,  and  an  infamous 
alliance  was  accordingly^  formed  between  the  false  wife  and  her  paramour,  Herod 
Antipas.  This  brazen,  shameless,  outrageous  cohabitation,  as  well  as  base 
wrong  thus  done  to  Herod  Philip,  highly  incensed  the  Jews,  and  the  circumstance 
coming  to  the  knowledge  of  John,  he  denounced  with  characteristic  vehemence 
the  crime  of  the  tetrarch.  This  exposure  in  public  speech  so  incensed  Herod 
that  he  ordered  John  to  be  seized  and  cast  into  the  fortress  prison  at  Machserus, 
in  Persea,  but  probably  with  no  intention  of  punishing  him  with  death,  for 
within    himself    he   could    not    but    admire  John,    and   no   doubt   accepted   his 


FROM    MANGER   TO    THRONE. 


205 


teachings  as  divinely  inspired.  It  may  be,  however,  that  Pilate,  who  was  always 
full  of  misgivings  and  utterly  without  moral  courage,  had  become  alarmed  at  the 
influence  of  John,  seeing  that  he  was  violently  assailing  the  corruption  of  the 
rulers  and  had  an  immense  following,  presumably  ready  to  do  his  bidding,  and 
prevailed  on  Herod  to  place  the  Baptist  under  restraint,  or  to  order  his  execution, 
if  there  were  signs  of  revolt  or  resistance  shown  at  his  arrest.  But  whatever 
may  have  been  the  promptings  or  the  secret  intentions,  Herod  saw  proper  to 
remove  John  far  distant  from  the  scene  of  his  labors  and  to  incarcerate  him  in 
the  strongest  and  best  defended  fort- 
ress within  the  limits  of  his  domains. 

But  before  John  was  taken  from 
the  region  in  which  he  had  won  .so 
large  a  following,  though  many  of 
his  disciples  still  continued  to  preach 
the  doctrines  which  he  promulgated, 
the  crowds  gradually  lessened  and 
soon  went  over  to  Jesus,  who  was  now 
performing  wondrous  works  along 
the  shores  of  Lake  Tiberias,  and 
whose  foot.steps  were  being  followed 
by  vast  multitudes.  Some  of  the 
disciples  of  John,  who,  perhaps,  had 
not  heard  Jesus,  or  who  did  not  com- 
prehend His  true  nature,  bearing 
some  jealousy  because  of  His  .success, 
came  to  John  at  Enon,  complaining 
of  the  greater  influence  of  Jesus ; 
but  instead  of  sharing  their  jealousy, 
as  a  worldling  would  have  done,  the 
nobility  of  his  nature  is  again  mani- 
fested in  another  acknowledgment  of  the  infinite  greatness  of  Christ.  Therefore, 
not  sorrowfully,  not  regretfully,  but  joyfully,  he  tells  his  disciples,  "  He  [Jesus^ 
must  increase,  but  I  must  decrease." 

The  righteous  Baptist  was  kept  in  prison  for  several  months,  during  which 
time  he  was  occasionally  brought  before  Antipas  and  his  friends  to  be  made  sport 
of,  and  Christ  apparently  intimates  in  the  words,  "  They  did  to  him  whatsoever 
they  pleased,"  that  he  was  subjected  to  .some  manner  of  torture,  as  was  Samson  ; 
but  John,  like  Paul,  maintained  his  composure  under  all  indignities,  and  so 
deported  him.self  that  he  finally  won  from  Herod  an  admiration  for  his  great- 
ness and  nobility,   which  found  manifestation  in  a  grant  of  many   liberties  not 


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I 

SALOME   KECKIVING   THK   HEAD   OF  JOHN   THE 

BAPTIST. — From  the  Paiuting  by  Beruardino 
Luiui. 


2o6  FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

usually  permitted  to  prisoners.     He  was  allowed  to  receive  his  friends  and  even 
to  instruct  those  who  came  to  listen  to  his  words  of  wisdom. 

The  Dance  of  Death. 

Perceiving  how  Herod  Antipas  was  becoming  gradually  more  friendly  towards 
John,  and  seeing  also  how  highly  he  was  regarded  by  the  high  priest  at  Jerusalem, 
Herodias,  first  stung  to  anger  by  John's  reproof  of  the  tetrarch,  resolved  now  to 
bring  about  his  execution,  and  she  began,  not  openly,  but  covertly,  to  poison 
Herod's  mind  against  the  Baptist.  Her  infamous  efforts  were  the  more  powerful 
now  because  of  a  war  which  Aretas,  father  of  the  repudiated  wife,  threatened 
against  Herod  to  punish  him  for  the  shameful  abandonment  of  his  daughter, 
whose  position  as  wife  to  the  tetrarch  had  been  usurped  by  the  adulterous 
Herodias. 

Though  baffled  for  a  time,  the  opportunity  came  at  last  for  Herodias  to  glut 
her  revenge  on  the  holy  man  who  had  been  her  accuser.  Herod  Antipas  had  now 
occupied  the  throne  for  a  period  of  about  thirty  years,  and  as  it  had  been  his 
custom  to  celebrate  each  anniversary,  he  assembled  his  court  officers  and  a  large 
number  of  his  friends  for  the  annual  festival  commemorative  of  his  accession  to 
the  tetrarchy.  It  was  a  royally  grand  occasion  :  the  palace  of  Tiberias  was  aflame 
with  splendid  illumination  ;  flowers — for  it  was  summer  time — hung  from  the 
windows  in  such  profusion  as  fairly  to  embower  the  great  and  magnificent  build- 
ing ;  birds  flung  their  songs  from  out  golden  cages  through  the  courts  and  down 
the  corridors  and  over  the  tables  spread  with  every  conceivable  luxury.  Musi- 
cians, concealed  under  the  shades  of  rare  plants,  poured  out  rich  melodies,  while 
unbridled  men,  sheiks  from  Arabia,  captains  from  the  guards,  generals  from 
Rome,  lords  from  the  court,  and  rich  men  from  every  part  of  Galilee,  gathered 
before  the  bounteous  board  to  drink  wine  to  the  health  and  long  life  of  the  lecher- 
ous tetrarch. 

-  Herodias  was  not  present,  for  women  were  not  generally  admitted  to  such 
festivities,  but  she  sent  her  daughter  Salome,  who  was  brazen  enough  to  violate 
custom  and  claim  the  right  of  a  princess  to  appear  before  Herod  on  any  occasion. 
The  feast  was  ended  and  the  wine  was  so  far  drunk  that  an  orgy  was  now  to  be 
inaugurated.  It  was  a  festival  like  that  which  Ahasuerus  prepared  to  introduce 
the  unveiled  Vashti  to  his  ignoble  friends.  So,  in  came  Salome  with  only  such 
raiments  as  served  to  show  her  form  most  perfectly,  and  gracefully  tripping  before 
Herod,  with  obeisance  to  him  and  then  the  guests,  began  to  dance  in  wild,  las- 
civious motions  that  were  particularly  pleasing  to  the  half-drunken  assemblage. 
It  was  a  ballet  in  which  the  dancer  told  a  mythological  story  by  pantomime  of 
feet  and  arms,  and  so  skillfully  did  she  act  her  part  that  the  revelers  were  mad 
with  applause  and  approbation.     But  the  most  pleased  of  all  was  Herod  himself, 


FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONE.  207 

who,  to  express  his  delight,  in  maudlin  munificence  offered  to  present  her  what- 
soever she  might  ask,  even  to  the  half  of  his  kingdom.  What  generosity  !  Why, 
could  she  make  a  prompt  selection  when  there  were  so  many  things  appealing  to 
her  cupidity  ?  So  she  smiled  and  passed  out  to  confer  with  her  infamous  mother, 
the  Jezebel  of  the  period.  Herodias  did  not  have  long  to  meditate,  she  had  now 
but  one  desire — revenge.  She  therefore  advised  :  "Go  back  quickly  and  ask  the 
head  of  John  the  Baptist. ' '  The  daughter  knew  no  ambition  different  from  that 
of  her  mother,  and  her  soul  was  burdened  with  no  less  guilt,  and  her  heart  was 
as  vile.  So  she  hastened  back  to  Herod  and  made  her  bloody  request.  Half- 
drunken  and  vainglorious,  yet  the  tetrarch  shuddered  and  turned  pale  before  the 
tigress  that  had  trapped  him.  Alarm  took  the  place  of  joy.  Could  a  king  violate 
his  promise  before  a  lordly  company  ?  What  is  moral  courage  to  a  king  ?  Why, 
only  a  matter  to  be  talked  about  when  the  sky  is  clear.  The  titled,  the  rich,  the 
dignified  though  besotted  guests  had  heard  his  offer,  therefore  must  his  so-called 
honor  be  kept  for  an  hour,  even  if  the  price  of  it  be  reprobation,  obloquy,  con- 
tumely and  objurgation  for  all  time  and  the  curse  of  God  through  eternity.  But 
the  evil  in  him  triumphed,  and  calling  a  soldier  to  his  side  he  whispered  in  his  ear 
an  order  to  bring  to  him  the  head  of  the  holy  man. 

When  the  messenger  of  death  came  to  his  prison  cell,  John  was  ready  for 
him ;  his  whole  life  had  been  one  of  preparation  for  the  summons,  and  death  could 
not  be  to  him  any  other  than  a  welcome  visitor.  And  he  bowed  himself  to  the 
sword  of  the  executioner,  but  his  spirit  soared  away  to  a  freedom  never  before 
enjoyed,  and  to  home  which  since  childhood  he  had  never  known.  And  soon 
after  receiving  the  order,  the  guard  returned  to  Herod  bearing  the  bleeding  head 
of  the  last  great  prophet,  which  was  handed  to  Salome  on  a  salver,  who  in  turn 
carried  it  to  her  polluted  mother.  Did  this  monstrous  crime  go  unpunished  ?  No  ; 
God  never  forgets  such  offences  against  nature.  Herod  lived  on  a  few  years  to 
be  haunted  by  the  memory  of  his  atrocious  act,  but  his  kingdom  was  taken  fi-om 
him  and  incorporated  with  Syria,  and  at  length  both  Herod  and  Herodias  went 
down  together  in  a  common  ruin,  ending  their  miserable  lives  in  banishment  at 
Lugdunum,  A.  D.  39.  Salome  left  the  country  at  once  and  went  to  her  aged 
husband,  Philip,  the  tetrarch  of  Trachonitis,  who,  dying  soon  after,  she  again 
married,  the  second  time  to  Aristobulus,  King  of  Chalcis.  History  is  silent  as 
to  her  after  life,  but  that  it  was  one  of  great  bitterness  and  wretchedness  we  may 
well  believe. 


*5lV.' 


^  ^1  ,i^]i  .m\  A¥\  m\\  .m  m  ma  m^  /m  i^  .fli'ij  /wj  m  m\ 


r^ 


CHAPTER  X. 

JESUS  assaui.te;d  by  satan. 

,^^""^k  IRECTIyY  after  the  baptism  of  Jesus,  doubtless  immediately  after,  He 

^        ■     was  commanded  by  the  Spirit  to  repair  to  the  wilderness.    Matthew 

_^L       M     says  :   ' '  Then  was  Jesus  led  up  of  the  Spirit  into  the  wilderness  to  be 

^"^"^      tempted  of  the  devil. ' '     Mark  says  :   '•'  And  immediately  the  Spirit 

driveth  Him  into  the  wilderness  ;  and  He  was  there  in  the  wilderness  forty  days 

tempted  of  Satan  ;  and  was  with  the  wild  beasts."     L,uke  says:   "And  Jesus 

being  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  returned  from  Jordan,  and  was  led  by  the  Spirit  into 

the  wilderness." 

Though  using  different  expressions,  we  may  regard  the  testimony  of  the  three 
gospel  writers  as  the  same,  the  employment  of  the  word  drove  instead  of /^^  being 
illustrative  of  Mark's  greater  enthusiasm  and  forcibleness  of  statement. 

As  Moses  and  Elijah  each  spent  forty  days  in  fasting,  as  a  preparatory 
act  for  their  prophetic  office,  so  Jesus  went  into  the  wilderness  for  a  like  period 
and  under  like  conditions  to  bring  Himself  into  a  communion  with  His  heavenly 
Father.  If  John  did  not  pass  any  time  in  famishment,  he  practiced  other  forms 
of  self-denial  in  the  waste  regions  of  Judea,  as  many  other  prophets  had  done 
before  him,  so  that  it  may  have  been  to  conform  to  the  early  experiences  of  the 
distinguished  prophets  of  Israel  that  Jesus  was  led  into  the  wilderness  to  undergo 
not  only  a  fasting  of  forty  days  but  the  assaults  of  Satan  also.  Having  been  sent 
to  the  world  in  form  incarnate.  He  must  be  subjected  to  all  the  harsh  experiences 
of  life  in  order  that  He  might  be  an  example  before  the  world,  that  our  under- 
standing of  His  sacrifices  might  be  perfect,  and  our  appreciation  of  His  sufferings 
thorough.  Thus  it  was,  for  a  twofold  purpose,  that  Jesus  came  up  out  of  the 
Jordan  waters  with  the  sign  of  the  Messiahship  upon  Him,  and  repaired  to  the 
wilderness  to  devote  a  period  to  prayer  and  pious  meditation,  an  act  which  He 
repeated  many  times  afterwards,  when  accumulations  of  trouble  became  too  heavy 
for  Him  to  bear. 

What  lonely,  desolate,  bleak  wastes  of  beetling  rocks,  shelving  precipices, 
gloomy  caverns,  and  dreary  deserts,  distinguish  some  of  the  hills  and  mountains 
near  the  Jordan  !  Nothing  green  except  a  sparse  growth  of  chaparral  on  the 
mountain  sides,  while  the  peaks  are  hoary  with  limestone  scoured  by  pelting 
storms,  and  the  valleys,  parched  nearly  all  the  seasons,  are  strewn  with  sands  that 
quiver  under  a  torrid  sun.  There  was  shade  in  the  many  caves,  but  it  was  the 
shade  of  gloom,  of  terror,  of  inexpressible  melancholy,  whose  oppressive  silence 

(208) 


14 


JlvSUS    IX    TH7-:    WII.IHK 


N  I.SS     r  I'M  I'M,  II     11  \     >\l  A. 


(2(19) 


2IO  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

was  broken  by  no  other  sounds  than  the  flutter  of  bat,  the  growl  of  leopard,  the 
laugh  of  hyena  or  the  roar  of  lion.  Night  pillowed  her  head  in  the  valley,  and 
day  woke  in  dread  on  the  mountain.  And  here  in  this  barren  solitude  tarried 
Jesus,  with  the  divine  light  hallowing  and  illuminating  His  surroundings,  with 
the  joy  of  holy  companionship  filling  His  heart,  and  comforting  assurances  from 
His  Father  raising  His  soul.  The  days  must  have  flown  by  in  rapid  succession, 
for  time  escapes  on  nimble  wings  with  those  reveling  in  a  rare  delight.  And  the 
ecstatic  pleasure  of  sweet  communion  with  God  must  have  made  Jesus  forgetful 
of  all  other  things,  until  exhausted  nature  came  knocking  at  the  temple  of  His 
weakened  energies,  to  admonish  Him  of  the  need  of  a  renewed  vitality.  And  at 
the  end  of  forty  days  He  was  ahungered. 

The  Temptation. 

Feeble,  faint,  completely  ener\^ated  by  His  long  fasting,  and  doubly 
unstrengthened  by  a  sudden  relaxation  following  the  awakening  from  His  spiritual, 
to  a  realization  of  His  material  surroundings.  He  was  in  a  condition  when  the  mind 
is  least  capable  of  resistance  to  temptation.  And  now  came  Satan,  with  smooth 
speech  and  persuasive  tongue,  to  deceive  and  to  bribe  our  Lord.  His  suave 
insinuation  even  in  the  most  repulsive  guise  had  won  the  confidence  of  Eve,  and 
remembering  that  God  had  promised  that  the  Son  of  a  woman  should  bruise  the 
serpent's  head,  he  felt  his  opportunity  was  now  come  to  again  thwart  the  will  of 
the  Almighty.  What  form  he  assumed  we  know  not,  but  recognizing  Jesus  as 
the  true  Son  of  God,  and  knowing  the  purpose  of  His  ministry,  Satan  must  have 
taken  an  angelic  shape,  since  he  used  scriptural  texts  as  his  arguments. 

Seeing  Jesus  faint  with  hunger,  he  said  :  "  If  thou  be  the  Son  of  God,  com- 
mand these  stones  that  they  be  made  bread."  But  nearly  famished  as  He  was, 
Jesus  saw  that  the  request  was  made  only  to  test  Him,  or  to  tempt  Him,  and  He 
therefore  quick  replied,  ' '  Man  shall  not  live  by  bread  alone,  but  by  every  word 
that  proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  God."  Or  in  other  words,  material  food  is 
no  more  important  to  the  body  than  is  spiritual  food  to  the  soul.  Thus  Satan's  ap- 
peal to  the  physical  necessities  which  oppressed  Jesus  was  met  by  a  prompt  denial 
of  desire  through  the  fullness  of  a  grace  that  lifts  the  soul  above  bodily  needs. 

Being  thus  repulsed  in  his  first  attack,  Satan  thought  next  to  make  an  appeal 
to  Christ's  vanity,  so  taking  Him  to  a  pinnacle  of  the  Temple  the  wily  adversary 
ofiered  a  second  temptation  by  saying,  ' '  If  thou  be  the  Son  of  God,  cast  Thyself 
down  from  hence,  for  it  is  written.  He  shall  give  His  angels  charge  concerning 
Thee,  and  in  their  hands  they  shall  bear  Thee  up."  Or,  to  use  modern  phrase- 
ology, "  Now,  if  you  are  really  the  Son  of  God,  which  mafiy  must  doubt,  give  an 
exhibition  of  your  power,  by  leaping  from  this  great  height  and  floating,  like 
bird  on  folding  wing,  to  the  ground,  alighting  harmless  before  the  priests,  the 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


211 


rulers  and  concourse  of  people  below,  you  can  at  once  demonstrate  your  divinity, 
and  your  claims  to  the  Messialisliip  will  be  acknowledged. ' ' 

But  again  Jesus  rebukes  the  tempter,  by  saying,  ' '  Thou  shalt  not  tempt  the 
Lord  thy  God."  Christ  was  commissioned  to  perform  a  certain  work  through 
preordained  means  which  involved  great  personal  sacrifices,  hence  He  would  not 
attempt  to  anticipate  the  will  of  the  Father  who  sent  Him,  or  evade  any  require- 
ment or  condition  that  God  had  imposed.  Christ  was  not  only  to  be  made  a  sacri- 
fice, but  a  teacher  also,  and  the  time  had  therefore  not  yet  come  for  an  exhibition 
of  His  divine  power,  even  if  desire  to  manifest  Himself  to  the  people  in  such  an 
ostentatious  manner  had  been  really  entertained.     And  so  the  second  temptation 


MOUNTAIN   OF   OUARANTANA,    WHKKK  THE   TEMPTATION   IS   SAID   TO    HAVE   TAKEN   PI.ACE. 

was  overcome  through  the  same  spiritual  insight,  aside  from  divine  agency,  that 
enabled  Jesus  to  resist  Satan's  first  appeal. 

The  Vision  on  Quarantana. 
Not  yet  discouraged,  however,  but  with  characteristic  persistence,  the  devil 
for  a  third  time  assaults  the  citadel  of  the  Holy  One.  Hunger  and  vanity  might 
be  resi.sted,  though  both  are  great  temptations  which  may  only  be  overcome  by 
the  power  of  a  righteous  conscience ;  but  will  a  promise  to  gratify  all  worldly 
ambition  be  refused  .so  easily  ?  Satan  is  determined  to  see.  So  he  took  Jesus  to 
the  top  of  a  very  high  mountain,  so  lofty  that  from  its  apex  he  might  look  down 
upon  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  ;  upon  the  palaces  and  splendors  that  lay  east- 
ward and  westward,  and  .southward  and  northward  ;  upon  the  crowns  that  circled 


212  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

the  brows  of  ever>'  king,  and  the  fleets  that  sailed  on  every  sea,  and  the  wealth 
that  was  garnered  in  every  treasury,  and  the  power  and  aggrandizement  of  every 
nation,  and  all  this  aggregation  of  splendor,  of  riches,  of  authority,  of  supreme 
sovereignty,  Satan  offered  to  give  to  Jesus  if  He  would  but  renounce  God,  if  He 
would  fall  down  in  worshipful  feeling  before  the  Prince  of  Darkness.  It  was  an 
offer  of  compromise  ;  a  bribe  intended  to  buy  Christ  from  executing  the  commis- 
sion for  which  He  had  been  sent  into  the  world. 

As  there  is  no  mountain  so  high  as  to  afford  a  view  of  any  considerable  part 
of  the  world,  and  notwithstanding  that  the  peak  of  Quarantana  is  pointed  out  as 
the  lofty  spot  where  this  temptation  occurred,  we  must  still  regard  thf  incident 
either  in  a  figurative  sense,  or  that  Satan  was  able  to  conjure  up  a  visn  n,  before 
the  sight  of  Jesus,  of  all  the  world's  principalities.  From  the  apex  of  Quarantana 
may  be  viewed  a  long  stretch  of  the  Jordan  and  its  sinuous  valley,  while  breaking 
the  horizon  beyond  lies  a  range  of  mountains,  and  between,  the  Judean  wilder- 
ness, the  glistening  Dead  Sea  and  Mount  of  Olives,  but  above  all  of  this,  rising  like 
a  mirage,  might  have  been  a  glorious  vision  of  the  world's  possessions,  like  John's 
apocalyptic  view  of  the  celestial  city,  or  Elijah's  perception  of  the  heavenly  cohort. 

But  whatever  may  have  been  the  circumstances,  whether  material  or  spiritual, 
whether  ocular  or  illusory,  the  lesson  is  no  less  striking  for  its  grandness  of  illus- 
tration. True  it  is,  that  Satan  had  no  ownership  in  any  of  these  things  which  he 
offered  to  bestow,  while  Christ,  as  joint-heir  of  God  and  hence  the  Creator,  was 
master  of  all,  and  to  whom  every  creature  is  answerable,  and  who  are  only  tenants 
of  His  domain.  But  the  temptation  was  a  sufferance  of  God,  similar  to  that  to 
which  Job  was  subjected,  and  was  permitted  as  a  lesson  to  the  world  illustrative 
of  the  temporary  subjection  of  Jesus  to  the  conditions  and  limitations  which  sur- 
round all  men,  and  of  His  holiness  not  as  the  Son  of  God,  but  the  Son  of  Man. 
Therefore,  as  the  Son  of  Man  He  answered  :  ' '  Get  thee  Hence,  Satan  :  for  it  is 
written.  Thou  shalt  worship  the  Eord  thy  God,  and  Him  only  shalt  thou  serve." 

"  It  is  written,"  is  the  Eord's  inti eduction  to  every  rebuttal  of  His  to  the 
wily  suggestions  of  the  tempter,  Satan.  He  enters  into  no  argument  or  parley 
of  any  kind,  but  fights  the  adversary  with  the  divine  weapon  which  St.  Paul 
recommends  to  all  saints,  when  he  warns  them  to  put  on  the  whole  armor  of  God, 
and  that  is,  the  "sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God." 

Understanding  the  futility  of  further  effort  to  allure  Jesus  from  the  way  of 
righteousness,  the  arch  adversary  spread  his  wings  and  departed,  leaving  his 
triumphant  enemy  on  the  mountain  top,  to  whom  angels  now  came  flocking  down 
to  pay  their  homage  in  songs  of  victory  and  praise. 

Jesus  Returns  to  John. 

After  forty  days  of  hunger  and  temptation  Jesus  was  ministered  to  by 
angels  and  then  He  left  the  mountain  peak  and  went  to  Bethabara,  an  ancient 


FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE.  213 

ford  on  the  Jordan — though  John  says  it  was  beyond  the  Jordan — where  the 
Baptist  was  preaching.  At  the  time  of  His  visit  to  the  place  there  was  a  delega- 
tion of  priests  and  Eevites,  sent  probably  by  the  Sanhedrim,  who  had  just 
arrived  to  propound  certain  questions  to  John  as  to  who  he  was  and  by  whose 
authority  he  was  preaching  and  baptizing.  The  claim  had  been  set  up  by 
many  that  he  was  indeed  the  Christ  long  promised,  and  by  others  that  he  was 
Elias  (Elijah),  while  yet  others  rejected  him  as  nothing  more  than  an  enthusiast. 
But  the  general  opinion  was  so  favorable  that  he  might  have  declared  himself 
the  Messiah  without  meeting  a  violent  opposition.  But  John  denied  being  either 
Christ  or  Elijah,  claiming  no  pre-eminence  whatever  above  the  humblest,  and 
declaring  himself  to  be  only  an  instrument,  ' '  the  plow  that  goes  before  the 
«ower,"  the  crier  that  precedes  the  royal  coming,  the  courier  of  announcement. 
And  when  the  Pharisees  of  the  delegation  asked  him  why  then  did  he 
baptize,  he  answered  them  thus  :  "I  baptize  with  water,  but  (recognizing  Christ 
among  the  multitude)  there  standeth  one  among  you  whom  ye  know  not.  He  it 
is,  who  coming  after  me  is  preferred  before  me,  whose  shoe  latchet  I  am  unworthy 
to  unloose."  This  answer  was  a  declaration  that  the  ceremony  of  baptism  as 
performed  by  him  was  but  a  rite  of  consecration  to  a  holy  service,  an  acknowledg- 
ment of  sin,  and  a  preparation  for  an  acceptance  of  Him  who  had  been  sent  as  a 
Saviour  for  the  world,  and  for  the  regeneration  of  Israel. 

What  effect  John's  answers  had  on  the  messengers  sent  by  the  Sanhedrim  we 
know  not,  but  as  Christ  was  not  revealed  to  them  it  is  most  seemly  to  believe  that 
they  either  failed  to  comprehend  John's  words,  or  else  left  him  feeling  that  he  was 
but  a  visionary  man  whose  mind  was  distracted  by  delusions. 

On  the  following  day,  seeing  Jesus  approach,  John  hailed  Him  as  the  Son  of 

God,  and  to  his  followers  he  said  :   "  Behold  the  Eamb  of  God  which  taketh  away 

the  sin  of  the  world, ' '  and  so  particularized  Him  to  the  crowd  both  b)^  description 

and  giving  testimony  to  the  seal  of  Holiness  which  he  had  witnessed  set  upon 

Jesus  at  His  baptism,  that  thereafter  His  identification  as  the  Messiah  of  John's 

pronouncement  was  unmistakable.     At  this  point  the  active  ministry  of  Jesus 

begins. 

The  First  Disciples. 

From  the  language  of  the  text  John's  acknowledgment  and  identification  of 
Christ  seems  to  have  been  addressed  to  but  two  of  his  disciples,  but  we  would 
rather  believe,  by  the  knowledge  we  have  of  John's  character,  that  the  declaration 
was  made  to  all  those  who  stood  about  him  and  to  whom  he  was  preaching  with 
such  power  and  goodly  effect. 

But  at  the  side  of  John  were  two  of  his  particular  friends,  or  early  converts, 
who  had  left  their  fishing  nets  to  hear  the  words  of  warning  that  John  was 
tittering  to  sucli  great  crowds.     One  of  these  was  named   Andrew,  a  brother  of 


214  FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

Simon  Peter,  who  will  be  mentioned  frequently  hereafter,  and  the  other, 
though  not  mentioned  by  name,  was  probably  John,  a  son  of  Zebedee.  As  Jesus 
came  up  to  them  they  inquired  with  much  anxiety  His  place  of  residence,  to 
which  He  made  no  other  answer  than  a  request  for  them  to  ' '  conie  and  see. ' ' 
And  so  the  two  followed  Him  to  His  temporary  abode  and  were  under  the 
witchery  of  His  magic  voice,  and  the  charm  of  His  infinite  love,  and  the 
magnetism  of  His  gracious  presence  for  a  space  of  two  hours.  What  the  sub- 
ject of  their  conversation  was  we  may  surmise  by  the  results  which  immedi- 
ately followed.  Andrew  left  his  newly-found  Master  only  to  hurry  off  and  find 
his  brother,  Peter,  who  was  still  with  the  Baptist  at  Bethabara.  The  search  was 
an  anxious  one,  for  the  crowd  was  great,  but  Andrew  at  last  catches  sight  of  him 
and  rushing  up  with  bursting  joy,  he  cries  out,  "Brother,  brother,  we  have 
found  the  Messiah."  And  he  brought  Peter  to  Jesus,  who  received  him  to 
fellowship,  but  gave  him  a  new  name,  Cephas — a  stone, — because  he  became  as 
firm  and  unyielding  in  righteousness  as  a  rock. 

The  Doubts  of  Nathanael. 

John,  the  beloved  disciple,  and  Andrew  and  Simon  Peter,  were  so  soulfully 
delighted,  and  so  filled  with  worshipful  reverence  for  Jesus  that  as  He  journeyed 
back  to  Galilee  they  followed  Him,  holding  sweet  converse  on  the  way  and 
becoming  enlightened  as  to  the  divine  character  and  holy  purpose  of  the  Messiah  ; 
and  as  they  traveled  along  the  highway  they  met  a  friend  of  Andrew  and  Peter, 
a  fisherman  of  Bethsaida,  named  Philip,  who  being  called,  joined  the  party  and 
became  an  accepted  disciple.  Philip  was  likewise  so  impressed  with  the  Godly 
attributes  of  the  Divine  Master  that  coming  upon  a  friend  named  Nathanael, 
who  was  sitting  beneath  a  fig  tree  that  stood  by  the  wayside,  or  possibly  before 
his  house  in  Cana,  he  besought  him  also  to  join  them,  telling  him  of  the  power, 
the  glory  and  the  grace  of  Jesus,  who  he  assured  him  was  the  promised  Messiah. 
Nathanael  not  only  doubted  the  claim  made  by  Philip,  but  was  even  inclined  to 
cast  a  slur  upon  the  holy  Nazarene,  for,  said  he,  in  reply,  ' '  Can  anything  good 
come  out  of  Nazareth?"  But  to  this  Philip  only  answered,  "Come  and  see." 
There  was  something,  either  in  the  appearance  of  Christ,  or  a  curiosity  to 
discover  the  cause  of  Philip's  infatuation  with  the  stranger,  that  prompted 
Nathanael  to  accept  Philip's  invitation,  and  as  he  approached,  Jesus  said  to  those 
that  were  with  Him,  "Behold  an  Israelite  in  whom  there  is  no  guile."  Probably 
Nathanael  (surnamed  Bartholomew)  overheard  the  expression;  or  else  Jesus 
accosted  him  by  name,  which  so  surprised  him  that  he  ask^d,  ' '  Whence  knowest 
Thou  me?"  Then  did  Jesus  answer  him  in  such  manner  that  Nathanael 
acknowledged  Him  as  the  Son  of  God,  and  the  King  of  Israel,  and  thenceforward 
served  as  a  faithful  disciple,  though  the  gospel  record  thereafter  refers  to  him 


FROM    MANGER   TO    THRONE. 


215 


i^ODgUudtt    East     from    Ureenwicb 


^uk»$M,m.f, 


never  as  Nathanael,  but  as  Bartholomew,  who  was  afterwards  a  preacher  of  the 
Christian  doctrine  in  Arabia  Felix,  long  after  the  death  of  His  Master. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

THE  marria'ge;  feast  in  cana. 

IF  the  hard  brow  ever  relaxes,  it  is  at  the  wedding.  The  nature  cold  and 
unsympathetic  thaws  out  under  the  glow,  and  the  tears  start  as  we  hear 
the  bride's  dress  rustling  down  the  stairs,  and  the  company  stand  back, 
and  we  hear  in  the  timid  "  I  will"  of  th.e  twain,  the  sound  of  a  life- 
time's hopes,  and  joys,  and  sorrows.  We  look  steadily  at  them,  but  thrice  at  her 
to  once  at  him,  and  say,  ' '  God  bless  her,  how  well  she  looks  ! ' ' 

We  cry  at  weddings,  but  not  bitter  tears  ;  for  when  the  heart  is  stirred,  and 
smiles  are  insipid  and  laughter  is  tame,  the  heart  writes  out  its  joy  on  the 
cheek  in  letters  of  crystal.  Put  on  the  ring  !  I^et  it  be  ever  bright,  and  the 
round  finger  it  encloses  never  be  shrunken  by  sorrow.  May  the  twain  grow  old 
together,  helping  each  other  on  in  the  path  of  life  ;  and  coming  up  to  the  marble 
pillar  of  the  grave  and  parting,  one  going  this  side,  and  the  other  going  that, 
may  they  meet  again  just  beyond  it,  to  find  that  the  marble  pillar  was  only  the 
door-post  of  Heaven.  When  the  wedding  is  done,  and  the  carriage  rolls  to  the 
door,  and  the  trunks  are  heaved  to  their  places,  and  the  door  goes  shut  with  a 
bang,  and  the  driver  gathers  up  the  reins,  we  all  come  out  on  the  steps  and  give 
them  three  times  three  for  a  good  starting. 

We  come  in  this  chapter  to  a  wedding.  It  is  in  common  life.  No  carriages 
roll  to  the  door,  no  costly  dress  rustles  on  the  carpet,  no  diamond  head-gear,  but 
a  marriage  in  common  life — two  plain  people  have  pledged  each  other,  hand  and 
heart,  and  their  friends  have  come  in  for  congratulations.  The  joy  is  not  the  less 
because  there  is  no  pretension.  In  each  other  they  find  all  the  future  they  want. 
The  daisy  in  the  cup  on  the  table  may  mean  as  much  as  a  score  of  artistic 
garlands  fresh  from  the  hot-house.  When  a  daughter  goes  off  from  home  with 
nothing  but  a  plain  father's  blessing  and  a  plain  mother's  love,  she  is  missed  as 
much  as  though  she  were  a  princess.  It  seems  hard,  after  the  parents  have 
sheltered  her  for  eighteen  years,  that  in  a  few  short  months  her  affections  should 
have  been  carried  off  by  another  ;  but  mother  remembers  how  it  was  in  her  own 
case  when  she  was  young,  and  so  she  braces  up  until  the  wedding  has  passed, 
and  the  banqueters  are  gone,  and  then  she  has  a  good  cry  all  alone. 

The  Marriage  Festival. 

The  first  wedding  that  Christ  ever  attended  was  at  the  place  where  He 
performed  the  first  miracle  recorded  by  the  Apostles.     It  was  at  Cana,  the  home 

(2l6) 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


217 


of  Nathanael,  a  little  town  that  nestled  upon  a  hill  rising  from  the  verdant  plain 
of  El  Battauf,  not  far  from  Nazareth,  and  in  which  we  may  believe  some  of  the 
relatives  of  Christ  lived.  A  wedding  in  that  village  was  not  less  notable  because 
the  place  was  small,  for  occasions  of  this  kind  were  always  festival  among  the 
Jews,  and  were  largely  attended.  The  ceremonies  invariably  began  as  the  day 
was  closing,  and  were  conducted  not  with  solemn  observance  but  with  merry- 
making and  gleefulness  befitting  the  most  joyous  occasion  in  the  life  of  a  young 
couple.  Friends  from  afar,  as  well  as  near,  came  to  join  in  the  marriage  festival, 
and  feasting  was  kept  up  for  an  entire  week,  when  poverty  did  not  forbid.  There 
was  a  profusion  of  flowers,  in  the  spring  time,  scattered  about  and  through  the 
house   of  celebration,    and   children  were  befrocked  in   their  brightest   clothes, 


RUINS   OK   CAPERNAUM    AND   VIKW   OF   A    PORTION    OF   LAKE   TIBERIAS. 


making  up  a  procession  that  marched  behind  torches  borne  by  the  older  ones, 
singing  songs,  striking  tabrets,  and  playing  pipes,  while  long  into  the  night  there 
were  sounds  of  melody  that  imparted  motion  to  dancing  feet. 

Jesus  and  His  five  disciples  had  probably  received  an  invitation  directly  on 
their  arrival  in  Nazareth,  and  with  Mary  they  walked  the  four  miles  between 
Nazareth  and  Cana,  to  be  present  at  the  wedding  and  to  join  in  the  pleasures 
which  the  event  afforded.  It  was  the  custom  to  provide  quantities  of  wine  as 
well  as  of  provisions  with  which  to  regale  the  attending  company  ;  but  on  this 
occasion  the  number  of  persons  present  was  so  great  that  shortly  after  the  festivi- 
ties were  begun  it  was  discovered  the  supply  of  wine  was  inadequate  for  the  occa- 
sion.     Mary  was  a  confidant  member  of  the  household,  if  not  a  relative,  and   to 


2i8  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

her  therefore  the  news  was  first  imparted  of  the  insufficiency,  and  she  immedi- 
ately called  Jesus  aside  and  informed  Him  of  the  embarrassing  situation.  Whether 
her  purpose  in  thus  notifying  Him  was  with  the  expectation  that  He  would  hasten 
off  to  some  neighboring  village  to  procure  an  additional  supply,  or  that  He  would 
work  a  miracle  in  the  presence  of  the  guests,  we  know  not,  nor  have  we  reason 
for  surmise  ;  but  whatever  w^ere  her  expectations  the  results  were  surprising  in  the 
extreme.  Before  the  door  of  the  house  stood  six  large  stone  jars,  filled  with  water, 
which  was  used  by  the  guests  for  washing  their  hands  and  faces  upon  their  arrival, 
as  was  the  invariable  custom  among  the  Jews,  as  an  act  not  only  of  cleanliness, 
but  of  purification  also.  By  Christ's  instructions  these  jars  were  emptied  and  then 
taken  to  a  neighboring  fountain  and  filled  anew  with  fresh  water.  When  this  was 
done,  the  jars  with  their  limpid  contents,  were  returned  to  the  house,  and  out  of 
these  Jesus  then  commanded  the  servants  to  fill  a  goblet  and  bear  it  to  the  gover- 
nor of  the  feast.  When  the  chairman  of  the  banquet  had  tasted  the  offering  he 
found  that  instead  of  water  it  was  wine  of  the  rarest  vintage,  a  wine  so  super- 
excellent  that  he  called  the  bridegroom  to  his  side  and  said,  "  Every  man  at  the 
beginning  doth  set  forth  good  wine  ;  and  when  men  have  well  drunk  then  that 
which  is  worse  ;  but  thou  hast  kept  the  good  wine  until  now. ' '  Wondrous  mira- 
cle ;  more  than  one  hundred  gallons  of  water  blushed  into  purest  wine  at  the  word 
of  Jesus  !  Taste  of  every  jar,  it  is  all  the  same  ;  drink  of  every  goblet,  the  sparkle 
is  in  each  ;  look  upon  every  drop,  the  rose's  flush,  the  diamond  bead,  the  bloom 
of  health  is  present  in  all.  Analyze  any  part  and  there  will  be  found  neither 
adulteration  nor  fermentation,  only  the  pure  blood  of  the  grape,  before  contamina- 
tion touched  it  with  polluted  fingers  ;  before  it  caught  the  poison  of  decomposi- 
tion from  attainted  air  ;  before  the  vinous,  the  acetous,  the  viscous,  the  putrefactive 
agencies  had  destroyed  the  healthful  and  undefiled  juices  of  a  fruit  which  is  so 
often  mentioned  in  Scriptures  as  to  be  almost  consecrated  to  holy  uses.  Pure 
water  had  been  converted  into  pure  wine  ;  or,  as  a  distinguished  essayist  once 
wrote,  with  a  succinctness  that  appears  like  inspiration,  "The  conscious  water 

knew  its  God  and  blushed. ' ' 

By  the  Sea  of  Galilee. 

After  the  marriage  in  Cana,  Jesus,  accompanied  by  His  mother  and  disciples, 
went  to  Capernaum,  not  many  miles  away,  where  he  made  His  home  for  a  short 
time,  and  which  vicinity  became  the  scene  of  many  of  His  most  important  labors. 
This  city,  only  the  ruins  of  which  now  remain,  was  admirably  situated  on  the  west 
shore  of  Lake  Tiberias — the  Sea  of  Galilee  and  Gennesaret,  as  "it  is  also  called. 
The  place  was  of  considerable  importance  in  the  time  of  Christ,  owing  to  the  fact 
that  being  on  the  borders  of  the  territory  of  Philip  and  Antipas  it  was  well  garri- 
soned and  had  a  large  custom  house  where  duties  were  collected  by  officers  of  the 
two   governments.       Besides   these,    there  was  h    splendid  synagogue   of  white 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


219 


lime-stone  in  the  town,  to  which  a  great  many  Jews  from  the  surrounding  region 
repaired  for  worship,  while  a  highway  led  from  Acre,  formerly  Ptolemais,  through 
Capernaum  to  Damascus,  which  brought  a  large  number  of  travelers  and  mer- 
chants to  the  place,  though  the  permanent  population  consisted  chiefly  of  fisher- 


Cupjrigli 
D.  Appletua  it  Co.' 

PRKSRNT   APPKARANCK   OF  THE  ROAD  TO   ASKELON,    NEAR  JERUSALEM. 

men.  Capernaum  and  Bethsaida  were  only  about  two  miles  apart,  to  which  fact 
must  be  credited  the  statement  that  the  disciples  John,  Andrew  and  Peter  were 
inhabitants  of  the  latter  place,  but  it  is  more  probable  their  dwellings  were  in 
Capernaum,  as  was  that  of  James,  and  of  Peter  certainly. 


220  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

Attends  the  Passover  at  Jerusalem. 

Jesus  did  not  remain  long  in  Capernaum  on  the  visit  which  He  first  made 
there  with  His  disciples,  for  as  the  Passover  was  near  at  hand  He  determined  to 
go  on  to  Jerusalem,  where  His  ministry  would  have  an  extended  field,  and  which 
He  was  now  ready  to  declare  to  the  people  who  would  gather  there  for  religious 
instruction  and  observance.  April  had  come,  with  its  freshness  of  flowers  and 
blooming  trees,  when  the  green  earth  looked  like  an  emerald  spreading  awaj^  to 
the  horizon,  or  a  carpet  just  unrolled  before  the  coming  of  a  royal  train.  The 
pulse  of  rejuvenated  nature  was  quickened  with  preparations  for  a  festival  season, 
and  men's  hearts  were  lifting  up  to  praise  under  the  inspiration  of  spring's 
approaching  footsteps.  All  Palestine  was  looking  towards  Jerusalem,  the  Mecca 
of  devout  Jews.  The  roads  soon  became  dusty  under  trampling  feet,  great  armies 
of  pilgrims  had  taken  up  the  march  for  the  Holy  City,  the  poor  afoot,  the  rich  on 
camels,  merchants  driving  before  them  flocks  of  sheep  and  herds  of  goats  and 
cattle,  which  would  find  a  ready  market  in  Jerusalem.  See  the  caravans  as  they 
come  winding  their  way  from  Damascus  on  the  north  across  Hermon,  and  down 
the  Jordan  valley  ;  and  from  Arabia  Petrsea  on  the  south,  up  through  the  hill 
country  of  Judea  ;  and  from  Caesarea,  Ptolemais  and  the  coast  cities  of  the  west, 
and  firom  the  far  eastern  district  watered  by  the  Tigris  and  the  Euphrates,  and 
from  the  land  of  Moab  and  of  Ammon  ;  dozens,  scores,  hundreds,  thousands,  on 
foot  and  by  every  means  of  conveyance,  while  beggars  and  decrepit  men  and 
women  line  the  way,  asking  alms  or  dragging  themselves  along,  but  with  eyes 
ever  set  towards  Jerusalem.  And  among  the  crowds  of  dust-covered,  dirt-stained, 
weary-limbed  and  athirsted  pilgrims  may  be  seen  Jesus  and  His  disciples,  trudg- 
ing along  like  the  poor  men  that  they  were,  but  all  the  more  anxious  to  reach 
Jerusalem  in  time  to  participate  in  the  feast  of  the  Passover,  which  was  celebrated 
in  the  spring  time,  and  was  the  most  joyous  of  all  Jewish  festivals,  commemorat- 
ing as  it  did  the  plague  which  led  to  the  freedom  of  the  Jews  from  their  bondage 
to  the  Egyptians. 

The  vast  crowds  here  assembling  poured  through  the  five  gates  of  Jerusalem 
with  ceaseless  flow  for  days  before  the  actual  celebration  was  begun,  and  passing 
on  up  to  the  Temple  courts  gathered  within  the  sacred  edifice  until  room  for  more 
there  was  none.  Every  room  of  every  house  within  the  city  now  became  tenanted, 
while  tents  were  spread  like  banners  to  the  distant  eye,  without  the  walls,  on  the 
hillside  and  in  valley,  until  that  great  swarm  of  humanity  had  hived  itself  within 
Jerusalem  and  its  surroundings. 

Near  the  "  Beautiful  Gate,"  and  within  the  court  of  the  Gentiles,  was  the 
market-place,  a  vast  corral  in  which  cattle  were  kept,  while  along  the  sides  were 
booths  in  which  sat  merchants  selling  doves  and  pigeons,  and  money-changers 
ready  to  exchange  Jewish  shekels  of  silver  for  the  brass  and    copper  coins  of 


(221) 


222  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

Greece  and  Rome  :  a  set  of  Shylocks,  who  took  every  possible  advantage,  for 
being  Gentiles  they  thought  it  proper  to  defraud  the  Jews,  and  to  make  the  largest 
profit  out  of  religious  zeal.  I^ambs  and  oxen  were  purchased  by  the  rich  for 
sacrificial  purposes,  while  doves  and  pigeons  were  bought  to  become  offerings  of 
the  poor.  But  yet  other  merchants  sold  caftans  and  abbas,  bright  red  and  blue 
vests,  head  coverings  and  long  robes  for  rich  worshipers,  who  also  purchased 
jewelry  from  the  same  venders. 

Purging  the  Temple. 

It  was  a  degrading  as  well  as  a  demoralizing  sight  to  witness  the  base  uses 
to  which  the  Temple  reared  to  the  L,ord  had  been  put,  a  profanation  and  defile- 
ment scarcely  less  than  that  wrought  by  Ahaz  when  he  took  away  so  much  of  the 
altar  service  and  set  it  up  anew  for  use  in  the  reinstitution  of  idol  worship.  And 
when  Jesus  came  within  this  court  of  the  Gentiles,  and  looking  everywhere 
around  His  eye  swept  over  the  impious  desecration  of  His  Father's  house,  the 
holy  spirit  within  Him  was  aroused  as  it  never  was  before  or  since.  Anger  painted 
His  cheek,  indignation  flamed  in  His  eye,  and  excitement  shook  His  frame. 
What  !  is  this  a  Temple  raised  to  God  ?  do  priests  minister  here  ?  is  this  a  con- 
gregating place  for  law-observing  and  reverently-worshiping  Jews  ?  If  so, 
why  is  this  infamous  sacrilege  permitted  ?  why  do  not  the  priestly  ofl&cers  purge 
this  enclosure  of  the  active  iniquity  that  here  holds  highest  revel  on  the  most 
solemnly  sacred  occasions  ?  Every  one  has  a  commission  to  defend  the  lyord 
and  His  institutions  ;  hence,  though  Jesus  was  to  the  eye  of  the  wicked  only 
a  Galilean  peasant.  He  took  upon  Himself  the  duty  that  properly  belonged  to 
those  appointed  for  the  care  of  the  Temple  and  the  administration  of  the  holy 
service,  and  seizing  some  fragments  of  ropes  which  he  saw  lying  upon  the 
ground,  with  these  simple  instruments  He  drove  the  sacrilegious  barterers  from 
the  court,  chiding  them  for  the  evil  of  having  turned  His  Father's  house  into 
a  place  for  buying  and  selling.  And  with  such  precipitation  did  the  Gentile 
traders  abandon  their  possessions  under  dread  of  the  Holy  One  that  the  cattle 
went  into  a  panic,  tables  were  overturned,  spilling  piles  of  money  upon  the  pave- 
ments, and  jewelry  and  rich  garments  lay  scattered  in  such  confusion  that  owner- 
ship must  have  been  hard  to  establish. 

What  an  excitement  was  created  by  the  attack  which  Jesus  made  upon  the 
venders  of  so  many  articles  in  the  Temple.  Why,  Jerusalem  was  almost  in  a 
tumult ;  a  storm  of  holy  rage  had  broken  among  the  crowds  that- had  flocked  from 
far  and  near  to  attend  a  festival.  What  could  it  mean  ?  When  the  first  wave 
of  anger  and  excitement  had  spent  its  force,  the  people  began  to  look  at  one 
another  and  to  ask  questions  as  w^ell  as  to  inwardly  inquire  :  "  Who  is  this  Man, 
that  with  a  few  broken  cords  can  drive  hundreds  from  their  accustomed  places  ? 


\  Iv    llAVl',    MADK    MY    KATHKK'S    HOUSK    A    UHN    Uh    ililhVts. 


(223) 


224  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

who  can  destroy  a  business  winked  at  by  the  priests  and  firmly  established 
through  long  sufierance  ? ' '  Even  the  disciples  were  confounded  for  they  had  no 
understanding  of  the  heavenly  authority  by  which  Jesus  had  done  such  a  remark- 
able thing.  But  this  second  miracle,  wrought  within  their  own  sight,  was  to  have 
a  significance  greater  than  the  first,  for,  while  it  was  a  manifestation  of  the  power 
of  Christ  over  men,  the  act  prepared  the  way  for  His  declaration  to  the  people. 
At  one  stroke  He  had  developed  before  the  eyes  of  the  wondering  spectators  from  a 
peasant  into  a  God.,  They  now  began  to  flock  about  Him,  and  to  ask,  ' '  By  what 
authority  have  You  purified  this  Temple. "  "  We  recognize  in  You  some  won- 
drous being,  but  pray,  tell  us  who  You  are  and  what  is  Your  mission."  "  What 
sign  shewest  Thou  unto  us,  seeing  that  Thou  doest  these  things  ?  ' ' 

But  Jesus  was  not  ready  to  answer  their  questions  fully  ;  He  had  a  wise 
purpose  in  restraining  their  curiosity  for  a  time,  since  a  sudden  declaration  of  His 
Messiahship  might  have  incited  a  riot,  for  the  Jews  were  unprepared  for  the  com- 
ing of  a  Saviour  in  the  appearance  of  a  peasant,  and  they  were  particularly 
jealous  of  their  traditions.  So  to  their  inquiries  Jesus  only  replied,  "Destroy 
this  Temple  and  in  three  days  I  will  raise  it  up. "  This  answer  the  Jews  could 
not  interpret,  though  they  supposed  it  was  an  arrogant  pretension  of  Divine 
power,  which  they  haughtily  resented,  and  after  a  time  returned  again  to  their 
ungodliness,  in  a  renewal  of  the  defilements  of  the  Temple  which  Jesus  had  so 
singularly  rebuked.  But  there  were  others  who,  v^hile  not  understanding  the 
obscure  reply  made  by  Christ,  saw  the  justice  of  His  wrath  at  the  priestly  toler- 
ance of  customs  which  polluted  the  Temple,  and  these  being  drawn  by  sympathy 
more  closely  to  Him  came  soon  to  believe  on  Him  as  the  promised  Saviour,  and 
were  rewarded  with  other  manifestations  of  His  Divinity. 

Nicodemus  Seeks  an  Interview  with  Jesus. 

Among  the  few  who  were  inclined  to  accept  Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  and  who 
had  been  permitted  to  behold  some  of  His  miracles,  was  a  distinguished  Pharisee 
named  Nicodemus,  a  ruler  among  the  Jews,  and  withal  rich  and  a  member  of  the 
Sanhedrim.  He  may  have  been  one  who  was  instrumental  in  sending  a  commit- 
tee of  inquiry  to  John,  and  had  therefore  interested  himself  in  the  reports  current 
concerning  John  and  the  appearance  of  the  Messiah  which  the  Baptist  was  preach- 
ing. But  Nicodemus  was  a  learned  man,  as  were  all  the  rabbis,  and  to  his  learn- 
ing was  added  the  wisdom  of  impartialism,  as  opposed  to  the  dogmatism  and 
bigotry  of  the  school  to  which  he  belonged.  Having  seen  much,  that  was  startling, 
if  not  convincing,  and  heard  many  witnesses  speak,  of  their  knowledge,  concern- 
ing the  power  of  Jesus,  Nicodemus  at  length  determined  to  seek  for  the  proof  of 
what  he  already  believed  to  be  true.  To  do  this  he  must  see  Jesus  and  speak  with 
Him  face  to  face,  and  hear  from  His  lips  an  expounding  of  the  doctrine  He  was 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  225 

to  preach,  as  well  also  an  explanation  of  His  mission  ;  to  explore,  in  private  con- 
versation, His  greatness  ;  to  examine  the  evidence  of  His  Divinity,  and  to  learn 
when  the  restoration  of  Israel  would  be  accomplished. 

But  laudable  as  was  the  ambition  of  Nicodemus,  and  great  as  was  his  wis- 
dom, he  yet  had  the  human  weakness  of  dreading  public  opinion,  which  even  a 
righteous  conscience  could  not  confront.  Jesus  was  in  disfavor  among  the  mas.ses 
as  yet ;  He  was  regarded  as  scarcely  the  equal  of  many  pretenders  who  had  laid 
claim  to  the  possession  of  divine  attributes,  only  to  be  ignominiously  exposed.  Nico- 
demus could  not  rise  above  a  common  infirmity  and  expo.se  himself  to  popular 
contempt  by  openl}'  meeting  Christ,  .so  he  resolved  to  visit  Him  .secreth',  selecting 
night  as  the  most  appropriate  time,  when  Jesus  would  be  least  engaged,  and  when 
there  was  little  chance  of  himself  being  seen.  It  was  therefore  a  stealthy  going 
forth,  a  night  masquerading,  a  secret  visit,  though  upon  a  holy  purpose. 

Finding  Jesus  at  some  lowly  lodging — it  may  have  been  in  Bethany — Nico- 
demus hails  Hmi  with  obsequious  speech,  "Rabbi,  we  know  that  Thou  art  a 
teacher  come  from  God  ;  for  no  man  can  do  these  miracles  that  Thou  doest,  ex- 
cept God  be  with  him." 

Did  Nicodemus  finish  the  first  sentence  of  his  address  ?  Did  he  not,  aftei 
thus  greeting  Jesus,  follow  with  some  inquiry  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God  ; 
or  did  Christ  anticipate  his  desire,  reading  his  heart,  comprehending  his  thoughts, 
foreseeing  his  purpose  ?  We  must  believe  the  latter,  for  John,  who  was  doubtless 
present  at  the  inter\new,  represents  the  Saviour  as  immediately  answering, 
"  Verily  I  say  unto  thee,  except  a  man  be  born  again  he  cannot  see  the  Kingdom 
of  God. "  This  remark  was  evidently  uttered  as  a  prelude  to  the  lesson  of  instruc- 
tion which  our  Lord  had  determined  to  impart,  knowing  that  Nicodemus  would 
seek  an  explanation  of  such  a  dark  saying,  and  thus  prepared  the  way  for  a  dis- 
course on  the  requirements  put  upon  man  in  his  relations  to  God,  and  the  duties 
inseparable  from  his  estate. 

The  anticipations  of  Christ  were  correct,  for  Nicodemus  at  once  a.sked,  "  How 
can  a  man  be  born  when  he  is  old  ?  "  It  was  not  his  ignorance  of  the  true  mean- 
ing of  the  Lord's  remark  that  made  Nicodemus  propound  such  an  inquir>-,  for 
being  a  rabbi  and  a  learned  man  he  was  familiar  with  the  ceremony  performed 
upon  the  adoption  of  the  Jewi.sh  faith  by  any  one  from  another  nation,  at  which 
the  seal  of  conversion  was  denominated  "a  second  birth."  His  object  therefore 
was  very  clearly  to  encourage  Christ  to  reveal  to  him  His  theory  of  .salvation,  if 
not  the  Divine  plan,  for  Nicodemus  was  not  yet  thoroughly  convinced  of  the 
Divinity  of  Jesus.  Having  now  been  asked  to  explain  the  purpose  and  the 
authority  of  His  teachings,  Christ  made  plain  to  his  anxious  visitor  the  necessity 
of  spiritual  regeneration,  through  the  outward  ceremonial  of  baptism,  as  the  essen- 
tial condition  to  fellowship  in  the  Kingdom  of  God.  To  make  His  instruction 
15 


226 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


particularly  clear  to  the  Rabbi,  Jesus  drew  illustrations  from  nature  by  which  to 
impress  His  meaning,  and  to  distinguish  the  difference  between  the  spiritual  and 
the  material  body,  which  Nicodemus  did  not  understand  before.     But  more  than 

this,  Christ  fore- 
shadowed to  His 
interested  listen- 
er the  sacrifice 
which  He  had 
been  sent  to  pro- 
vide, and  the 
atonement  which 
He  was  to  suffer 
for  the  sins  of  the 
world,  saying, 
"And  as  Moses 
lifted  up  the  ser- 
pent in  the  wil- 
derness, even  so 
must  the  Son  of 
man  be  lifted  up; 
that  whosoever 
believeth  in  Him 
should  not  per- 
ish, but  have 
eternal  life.  For 
God  so  loved  the 
world,  that  He 
gave  His  only 
begotten  Son, 
.,  ^..,  that  whosoever 
;^-s  Z  believeth  m  Him 


BETHANY   AS  IT  NOW  APPEARS. 


should  not  per- 
ish, but  have 
everlasting    life. 

For  God  sent  not  His  Son  into  the  world  to  condemn  the  world,  but  that  the 
world  through  Him  might  be  saved. ' ' 

When  Nicodemus  parted  from  Jesus  it  may  be  that  he  only  half  comprehended, 
or  else  half  doubted  the  words  of  Christ,  though  it  was  evident  that  he  carried 
away  with  him  a  semi-conviction,  equal  to  the  measure  of  his  belief  when  he  first 
determined  to  seek  an  interview.  But  his  timidity  was  such  that  he  spoke  to  no 
one  concerning  his  visit,  or  the  in.structions  he  had  received. 


CHAPTER    XII. 


THE    DISCOURSE    BY    THE   WELL. 


TESUS  probably  left  Jerusalem  directly  upon  the  close  of  the  Pascal 
festival,  and  with  His  disciples  went  through  Judea,  visiting  many  of 
the  villages,  but  tarried  no  considerable  time  in  any  place.  His  active 
ministry  began  in  Jerusalem,  but  it  was  not  until  He  had  gone  into  the 
region  of  Judea,  outside  of  the  Holy  City,  that  He  began  to  preach  and  the 
disciples  who  followed  Him  to  baptize  in  His  name.  Heretofore,  under  John's 
teachings,  baptism  was  but  the  sign  of  repentance,  and  a  covenant  to  observe  the 
rigid  regulations  of  Jewish  ordinances,  which  was  a  painful  thralldom  that  only  a 
subordinated  conscience  could  submit  to  :  a  self-abasement ;  a  torment  of  natural 
desires,  and  the  rigors  of  self-denial  that  precluded  the  operation  of  that  Divine 
liberty  and  love  which  is  the  holiest  attribute  of  a  godly  mind.  When  Jesus 
came  before  the  people  He  taught  a  higher  conception  of  God  ;  a  religion  that 
had  for  its  chief  corner-stone  the  love  of  one  another  and  the  freedom  of  conscience 
when  purified  or  regenerated  by  faith  in  the  mercy,  the  love,  the  compassion  and 
the  provident  care  of  God.  Baptism  of  itself  was  not  relied  on  except  as  a  sign, 
among  men,  of  conversion,  and  hence  to  His  disciples  did  Jesus  delegate  the  duty 
of  administering  the  rite,  as  an  act  of  man,  in  contradistinction  to  the  seal  of 
God's  indwelling  in  the  heart  of  the  candidate,  for  by  the  heart  alone  does  God 
judge  all  persons. 

The  new  teachings  of  Jesus,  as  opposed  to  the  binding  intolerance  of  John's 
cold  asceticism,  quickly  obtained  such  general  approval  that  all  Judea  went  out 
to  hear  Him.  The  people  in  lower  Galilee  who  had  been  crowding  about  John, 
having  heard  of  the  greater  teacher,  who  was  stirring  up  the  people  of  all  Judea, 
gradually  fell  away  from  the  Baptist  until  his  few  remaining  followers,  growing 
jealous  of  the  larger  success  of  Jesus,  complained  to  him  of  what  they  regarded 
as  the  fickleness  of  the  people.  But  instead  of  sharing  their  feelings  John 
explained  to  them  the  true  Messiahship  of  Jesus,  and  told  them  that  thenceforth 
he  must  decrease  while  Christ,  the  Holy  Son  of  God,  would  increase. 

The  effect  of  the  Lord's  sudden  popularity  among  the  masses  not  only  created 
a  jealousy,  but  a  bitter  hostility  now  manifested  itself  among  the  Pharisees — the 
priests,  scribes  and  elders — whose  influence  with  the  people  they  found  was 
melting  away  under  the  hot  focus  of  Christ's  exposure  of  their  vain  pretences, 
and  the  mockery  of  their  no-longer  expressive  ceremonials.     They  had  rejected 

(227) 


228  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

John  as  a  fanatic,  and  they  now  "rejected  the  counsel  of  God  against  them- 
selves, ' '  and  they  were  ready  to  carr>'  their  hostility  against  Jesus  to  the  extreme 
of  inflicting  the  harshest  punishments.  So  threatening  did  their  bitter  enmity 
and  jealousy  become  that  Christ  withdrew  from  Judea,  and  proceeded  to  Galilee, 
His  departure  probably  being  hastened  by  the  arrest  of  John,  who  was  shortly 
before  this  time  taken  by  order  of  Herod  Antipas  and  thrown  into  the  fortress 
prison  of  Machserus,  which  was  on  the  east  coast  of  the  Red  Sea. 

Through  Samaria. 

Jesus  had  been  preaching  in  Judea  for  a  period  of  nearly  nine  months  before 
retiring  from  that  region,  but  while  His  works  must  have  been  great,  since  His 
audiences  were  always  very  large,  yet  it  does  not  appear  that  He  made  any  con- 
siderable number  of  converts.  It  is  therefore  most  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the 
purpose  of  His  ministrations  in  that  section  was  to  sow  seeds  for  an  after  harvest ; 
to  prepare  the  people  for  an  acceptance  of  the  greater  works  which  He  was  after- 
wards to  perform  ;  to  gradually  bring  to  their  comprehension  a  Messiah  who, 
instead  of  appearing  sitting  on  a  cloud  of  gloiy^  and  marshaling  the  hosts  of 
heaven  in  battle  array  for  a  furious  descent  upon  the  enemies  of  Israel,  wovdd 
come  in  the  guise  of  a  peasant,  bearing  the  infirmities  of  a  man,  and  reasoning 
with  the  power  of  one  learned  in  the  law ;  as  one  whose  mission  was  to  first 
instruct  before  declaring  His  Majesty  ;  to  open  the  heart  as  well  as  enlighten  the 
understanding  ;  to  create  a  faith  ;  to  tear  away  the  barriers  set  up  for  temporal 
uses  of  the  I^evitical  class,  and  lift  the  blind  devotees  of  priestcraft  to  an  eminence 
from  which  they  might  perceive  the  true  character  of  God,  and  learn  what  was 
necessary  to  their  salvation. 

Instead  of  turning  to  the  northeast  and  passing  over  the  common  route  of 
travel,  which  led  through  Peraea,  Jesus  chose  a  shorter,  though  more  dangerous 
road  that  passed  through  Samaria,  the  province  which  separated  Galilee  from 
Judea.  Samaria,  though  a  central  portion  of  the  Holy  I^and,  was  alienated  from 
Israel,  by  reason  of  its  occupation  by  foreigners,  brought  in  to  settle  the  district 
anew  after  the  captivity  of  the  ten  tribes  :  ' '  men  from  Babylon,  and  from  Cuthah, 
and  from  Ava,  and  from  Hamath,  and  from  Sepharvaim,  and  placed  in  the  cities 
of  Samaria  instead  of  the  children  of  Israel ;  and  they  possessed  Samaria,  and 
dwelt  in  the  cities  thereof."  These  people,  thus  introduced  by  Esarhaddon, 
brought  with  them  the  idolatrous  customs  of  the  Babylonians,  but  a  plague 
breaking  out  amongst  them  shortly  after  their  settlement  led  them  to  believe  that 
it  was  a  visitation  of  divine  anger  at  their  refusal  to  accept  the  God  of  the  Jews. 
So  general  did  this  belief  soon  become  among  the  Samaritans  that  they  dispatched 
an  embassy  to  Babylon  to  request  that  Jewish  priests  be  sent  to  instruct  them  in 
the  worship   of   the    Israelites.      Their    petition    was   granted,   and    under    the 


FROM  MANGKR   TO   THRONE. 


229 


teachings  of  rabbis  they  became  worshipers  of  God,  but  yet  they  did  not  wholly 
discard  their  images.  When,  therefore,  Cyrus  sent  Nehemiah  to  superintend  the 
construction  of  a ,  new  Temple  at  Jerusalem,  the  Samaritans  oflfered  to  assist  iu 
the  work,  no  doubt  honestly  intending  to  devote  their  services  to  the  Lord  in  a 
union  of  worship  with  the  Jews.  But  instead  of  accepting  their  overtures,  and 
welcoming  them   to  brotherhood,  as  the  Jews  did  other  heathens  baptized  in  the 


GROUP  OF   MODERN   SAMARITANS. 


faith,  they  were  rejected  with  insults  and  scorning.  Shortly  after  this  there  was 
such  dissatisfaction  among  the  Jews  with  the  administration  of  Nehemiah,  that 
a  large  body  not  only  dissented  but  went  over  to  the  Samaritans,  whom  they  joined 
in  the  building  of  a  rival  Temple  on  Mount  Gerizim.  This  Temple  was  after- 
wards destroyed  by  John  Hyrcanus,  so  that  only  the  ruins  remained  at  the  time 
of  Christ,  but   the  hatred   between   the  Jews  and  the  Samaritans  still  survived, 


230  FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

notwithstanding  that  many  of  the  latter  claimed  Jewish  descent.  In  the  time  of 
Alexander  (B.  C.  332)  the  Samaritans  claimed  exemption  from  the  payment  of 
tribute  in  the  Sabbatical  year  on  the  ground  that  they  were  descendants  of  Ephraim 
and  Manasseh  ;  and  the  woman  with  whom  Jesus  held  discourse  at  the  well,  as 
will  be  presently  described,  intimates  her  Israelitish  blood  by  the  question,  "  Art 
Thou  greater  than  our  father  Jacob,  who  gave  us  the  well  ? ' ' 

But  while  the  Samaritans  were  peaceable,  and,  indeed,  were  of  a  hospitable 
and  kindly  disposition,  they  were  regarded  with  such  hostile  feelings  by  the  Jews 
that  even  the  Apostles  shared  in  this  unreasonable  enmity,  and  when  Jesus  went 
among  them  His  disciples  believed  that  any  act  of  inhospitality  upon  the  part  of 
the  Samaritans  would  be  punished  by  the  Lord  sending  fire  from  heaven  to  con- 
sume them. 

The  Beautiful  Vale  of  Mukhna. 

Into  the  district  of  Samaria  Jesus  set  His  way,  lightly  regarding  the  dangers 
which  compassed  a  Jew  in  that  direction.  Out  of  the  hill  country  of  Judea,  with 
its  sterile  peaks  and  rock-bestrewn  roads,  into  the  great  and  fertile  plain  of 
Esdraelon,  by  splendid  pasture  lands,  over  vast  stretches  of  alternating  hill  and 
valley  blossotning  with  corn,  and  orchards,  and  gardens,  and  vineyards,  and  with 
crowns  of  olives,  and  walnuts  and  figs.  Out  of  Esdraelon  into  the  plain  of 
Mukhna  and  on  into  the  valley  which  separates  the  great  mountains  of  Ephraim  ; 
to  the  left  Gerizim,  and  to  the  right  Ebal,  while  beyond,  near  the  head  of  the 
valley,  where  it  narrows,  lies  the  village  of  Nablus,  the  ancient  Shechem — the 
Sychar  of  John.  The  town  is  now  but  an  ugly  scar  on  a  hillside,  but  was,  in 
the  time  of  Christ,  a  spot  memorable  for  its  beauty,  the  centre  of  a  landscape  of 
exuberant  nature  ;  of  groves  of  almond,  pomegranate,  olive,  pear,  plum  and 
walnut,  a  beauteousness  of  surrounding  unrivaled  in  all  Palestine,  while  the  town 
itself  sat  just  above  the  base  of  a  hill  that  brought  into  glorious  panorama  an 
extended  view  of  incomparable  picturesqueness.  Here  is  where  Abraham  built 
an  altar  under  an  oak,  in  the  days  of  Canaanitish  possessions  ;  here  is  where 
Jacob  rested  after  his  return  from  Mesopotamia  ;  here  he  bought  his  first  parcel  of 
land,  and  which  became  the  special  patrimony  of  Joseph  ;  here  Jacob  dug  a  well 
through  rock  and  soil,  more  than  one  hundred  feet  deep,  perhaps  two  hundred — 
for  it  is  forty  feet  shallower  now  than  it  was  fifty  years  ago — and  of  a  diameter  of 
nine  feet,  and  which  flowed  water  enough  for  all  his  immense  flocks ;  under  the 
oak  of  the  mountain  hard  by  the  Shechemites  made  Abimelech  king ;  and 
the  town  became  a  possession  of  the  I^evites  and  a  place  of  refiige.  The 
well  of  Jacob  and  the  tomb  of  Joseph  are  but  a  mile  and  a  half  east  of  the 
village,  just  beyond  the  hamlet  of  Balata,  also  called  "  the  well  of  the  Samaritan 
woman. ' ' 


1111     iii>^urRSE  AT  THE  WELL.  — Drawu  by  Dor^. 


(231} 


232  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

The  Samaritan  Woman. 

Trudging  along  the  dusty  road,  under  a  sweltering  sun  at  about  the  noon 
hour,  Jesus  and  His  disciples  came  to  Jacob's  well.  They  were  both  athirst  and 
ahungered.  Water  is  nowhere  abundant  in  that  region  except  immediately  after 
a  rain-fall ;  the  wadys  are  generally  dry,  and  the  heat  great,  so  that  poor  travelers 
are  apt  to  fare  ill  in  an  attempt  to  cross  the  country  on  foot.  It  was  this  scarcity 
of  water,  or  the  uncertainty  of  supply,  that  caused  Jacob  to  expend  so  much  time 
and  labor  in  excavating,  out  of  the  solid  limestone,  a  well  so  deep  ;  but  he  knew 
that  the  fertility  of  the  adjacent  country  would  well  repay  him,  as  it  did.  Being 
exhausted  with  heat,  hunger  and  travel,  Jesus  sat  down  by  the  well-side  while  He 
sent  His  disciples  on  to  the  village  of  Sychar  to  buy  food.  Himself  feeling  so 
nearly  famished  that  He  was  scarcely  able  to  proceed  further  without  refreshment. 
Seated  under  the  cooling  shadows  of  the  trees  which  overhung  the  well,  reflecting 
on  the  history  of  Israel  and  the  momentous  events  that  had  transpired  in  this 
vicinity,  His  reverie  was  arrested  by  the  approach  of  a  woman  bearing  an  earthen 
jar  and  rope  upon  her  head,  who  had  come  to  the  well  for  water.  His  thirst  had 
no  doubt  been  already  quenched,  yet  Christ  asked  her  to  please  let  down  the  jar 
and  draw  water  that  He  might  drink.  Observing  at  once  that  He  was  a  Jew,  and 
knowing  the  antipathy  which  that  race  bore  towards  her  people,  she  replied  : 
"  How  is  it  Thou,  being  a  Jew,  askest  drink  of  me,  who  am  a  woman  of 
Samaria  ?  "  To  awaken  the  woman  to  a  conception  of  His  Divinity,  Jesus  made 
answer  :  "If  thou  knewest  the  gift  of  God,  and  who  it  is  that  saith  to  thee,  '  Give 
Me  to  drink,'  thou  wouldst  have  asked  of  Him,  and  He  would  have  given  thee 
living  water."  But  the  woman  did  not  comprehend  His  words,  for  with  an 
expression  of  surprise  she  said,  ' '  Master,  Thou  hast  nothing  to  draw  with, 
and  the  well  is  deep  ;  from  whence  then  hast  Thou  that  living  water  ?  ' '  To 
this  inquiry  Jesus  replied  by  explaining  the  difference  between  the  water  that 
quenches  the  thirst  and  which  she  came  here  to  draw,  and  the  living  water  that 
satisfies  the  soul  rxud  gives  life  everlasting  to  him  who  drinketh.  This  answer 
only  served  to  in:;rease  her  longing,  and  to  excite  a  curiosity  she  had  never  felt 
before.  She  now  begged  Him  to  give  her  of  this  water  that  she  might  have  no 
reason  for  coming  so  far  to  draw  again.  Seeing  that  she  was  still  unable  to  com- 
prehend His  meaning,  Jesus  now  chose  to  reveal  to  her  His  Divine  wisdom,  by 
asking  the  woman  to  call  her  husband.  "I  have  no  husband,"  she  replied. 
"  True,"  said  Jesus,  "  you  have  no  husband  now,  but  you  have  had  five  husbands, 
all  of  whom  have  been  divorced  or  dead,  while  the  man  with  whom  you  are  now 
living  is  not  your  husband." 

The  perfect  knowledge  which  Jesus  possessed  and  thus  revealed  to  her  con- 
cerning her  private  life  made  the  woman  stare  with  wonder,  until  with  apparent 
inspiration  she  exclaimed,  "  Master,  I  perceive  that  Thou  art  a  prophet."    As  she 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE.  233 

was  now  prepared  to  receive  His  instructions,  having  become  half  conscious  of 
His  holy  character  as  exhibited  by  the  prophetic  insight  which  He  had  thus 
displayed,  she  became  eager  to  know  more  ;  to  receive  from  Him  that  divine 
enlightenment  which  only  a  true  prophet  of  the  lyord  might  bestow.  Hence  she 
asked  Him  at  which  place  was  it  more  proper  to  worship,  whether  at  Jerusalem, 
the  holy  city  of  Israel,  or  at  Gerizim,  the  sacred  mountain  of  the  Samaritans. 
And  why  should  she  not  ask  this  question  ?  In  the  eyes  of  the  Samaritans  no 
place  on  earth  was  so  hallowed  as  Gerizim.  Their  legends  taught  them  that  here 
was  where  God  planted  Paradise,  and  from  the  dust  of  this  mountain  Adam  had 
been  formed,  and  here  he  set  up  the  first  altar  of  worship.  Upon  this  peak  they 
believed  the  Ark  of  Noah  rested  after  the  flood,  and  from  which  the  earth  was  re- 
peopled  ;  here  too  was  where  Noah  sacrificed,  where  Abraham  made  an  offering 
of  Isaac,  where  Jacob  rested  his  head  in  sleep  when  the  dream-vision  of  a  ladder 
ascending  into  heaven  awoke  him  to  ecstsay  ;  and  where  Joshua  set  up  the  twelve 
stones  after  his  conquest  of  Canaan,  and  to  the  peak  of  which  all  Samaritans  set 
their  gaze  when  in  prayer,  and  to  which  they  looked  in  longing  expectation  for 
the  Messiah's  appearance. 

Jesus  First  Declares  His  Messiahship. 

Jesus  had  told  the  woman  that  the  true  Temple  was  in  Jerusalem,  but  appre- 
ciating the  prejudices  of  Jews  and  Samaritans  alike,  and  particularly  the  recep- 
tive and  dispassionate  nature  of  the  woman,  He  calmed  her  disquiet  by  reply- 
ing to  her  question  as  to  the  true  place  of  worship  in  this  wise  :  "  Believe  Me,  the 
hour  conieth,  when  ye  shall  neither  in  this  mountain,  nor  yet  at  Jerusalem, 
worship  the  Father.  Ye  worship  ye  know  not  what  ;  we  know  what  we  worship, 
for  salvation  is  of  the  Jews.  But  the  hour  cometh,  and  now  is,  when  the  true 
worshipers  shall  worship  the  Father  in  spirit  and  in  truth." 

Catching  at  His  meaning  but  not  yet  comprehending  the  whole,  she  says,  ' '  I 
know  that  Messiah  cometh.  When  He  is  come,  He  will  tell  us  all  things."  Now 
was  the  time  to  throw  the  full  light  of  revelation  upon  her,  for  having  seen  the 
dawn  she  was  thus  prepared  for  a  full  burst  of  sunlight  into  her  understanding, 
so  He  answered,  "  I  that  speak  to  thee  am  He  !  "  This  was  the  first  time  Jesus 
positively  acknowledged  His  Messiahship,  and  that  He  withheld  such  declaration 
from  the  Jews,  to  reveal  it  to  a  Samaritan,  to  a  people  who  for  centuries  had  been 
under  the  ban  of  Jewish  proscription  and  abuse,  is  a  problem  to  be  solved  only  by 
consideration  of  the  relative  receptivity  to  religious  teachings  of  the  two  races. 
The  Jews  were  intrenched  behind  immemorial  bigotry  and  theatrical  ceremonial, 
and  had  grown  in  intensity  of  intolerance  through  priestly  ambition  and  a  diver- 
sion to  their  own  worldly  uses  of  the  .sacred  service  and  holy  ritual  of  the  Mosaic 
institution  of  worship.     They  were  obdurate,  arrogant  and  insolent,  and  opposed 


234  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE 

to  everything  that  contravened  their  preconceived  opinions,  to  which  national  dis- 
position is  no  doubt  due  the  small  success  that  attended  Christ's  preaching  in 

Judea. 

The  Goodly  Qualities  of  the  Samaritans. 

The  Samaritans  were  not  only  opposed  to  the  Jews  in  their  political  and  religious 
life,  but  in  custom,  social  habits  and  sympathy  also.  Though  an  importation,  so 
to  speak,  from  heathen  lands,  the  Samaritans  were  distinguished  for  their  kindness, 
charity  and  great  hospitality,  which  Jesus  acknowledged  in  more  than  one  of  His 
sublime  illustrations  teaching  men  the  true  worship  of  God  through  acts  of  mercy 
done  to  one  another.  Of  the  ten  lepers  whom  Jesus  healed  only  one,  a  Samaritan, 
gave  Him  thanks.  Of  the  hundreds  who  passed  by  the  wounded  man  who  lay  by 
the  wayside,  only  one,  a  Samaritan,  ministered  to  him  and  bound  up  his  hurts. 
And  as  Jesus  came  not  to  the  Jews  alone,  but  as  a  Saviour  to  all  people,  so  He 
naturally  revealed  Himself  as  the  Son  of  God  to  a  Samaritan  in  whom  He  would 
find  a  sympathy,  and  a  willingness  to  receive  His  teachings,  which  the  stiff-necked 
Jews  had  refused. 

At  the  moment  that  Jesus  announced  His  Messiahship  to  the  Samaritan 
woman,  His  disciples  returned  from  Sychar  bearing  provisions  which,  knowing 
His  hunger  after  such  long  fasting,  they  pressed  Him  to  eat.  To  their  invitation 
He  replied  that  He  had  meat  to  eat  which  they  knew  not  of,  that  meat  of  which 
He  had  before  spoken.  Then  to  make  His  meaning  more  perfectly  understood 
He  rose  up,  and  looking  down  the  widening  valley  where  the  fields  were  yet 
awaiting  the  sower,  He  said  to  His  disciples  :  ' '  You  say  it  will  be  four  months 
before  harvest ;  but  then  will  come  the  harvest  for  the  sickle  ;  look  now  toward 
every  part  of  the  land,  the  seeds  of  sin  are  whitening  unto  a  harvest  of  righteous- 
ness ;  therefore  the  Lord's  laborers  must  thrust  in  their  sickles  not  reaping  only 
but  threshing  also,  to  purify,  to  cleanse  unto  salvation  ;  he  that  reapeth  receiveth 
wages  and  gathereth  fruit  unto  life  eternal.  Hence  my  meat  is  to  do  the  will 
of  Him  that  sent  me  and  to  finish  His  work." 

As  the  disciples  addressed  Jesus  upon  their  return,  asking  why  he  talked 
with  a  Samaritan,  the  woman  left  her  water-pot  and  hastened  to  her  home  where 
she  spread  the  news  of  Christ  having  come  into  the  vicinity,  and  related  the 
wondrous  things  which  He  had  told  her.  Probably  through  curiosity  to  con- 
firm or  disprove  her  assertions  ;  or  to  see  a  prophet,  or  learn  the  cause  for  her 
infatuation,  many  men  came  out  to  meet  Jesus.  They  may  have  approached 
Him  to  offer  an  indignity,  to  avenge  upon  Him  their  hatred  for" all  Jews;  but  if 
they  had  any  such  harsh  feelings  upon  going  out  of  their  city,  these  quickly 
changed  upon  a  sight  of  His  loving  countenance  when  they  drew  near.  And 
when  He  addressed  them  in  kindly  speech,  they  listened  with  respectful  attention 
and  they  felt  such  admiration  for  His  teachings  that  they  besought  Him  to  return 


FROM    MANGER   TO  THRONE.  235 

home  with  them.  Observing  here  a  fertile  field  for  His  labors  Christ  went  into 
the  Samaritan  city,  and  remained  for  a  period  of  two  days,  during  which  time 
many  were  converted  and  accepted  Him  as  "  Christ  the  Saviour  of  the  world." 

Accepted  by  the  Galileans. 

After  a  pleasant  visit  at  Nablus,  Jesus  took  leave  of  His  Samaritan  friends 
and  continued  His  journey  into  Galilee.     He  probably  passed  through  or  near 


THE   GOOn   SAMARITAN. 

Nazareth,  and  went  on  to  Cana,  for  receiving  a  royal  greeting  there  He  said  to 
His  friends,  "A  prophet  is  not  without  honor  save  in  His  own  country,"  thus 
intimating  that  He  could  not  expect,  or  had  been  refused,  a  generous  welcome  at 
the  hands  of  the  Nazarenes. 

But  in  Cana  it  was  different  ;  many  there  were  who  had  been  witness  to  His 
first  miracle  ;  while  many  others  had  attended  the  Paschal  festival  at  Jerusaletn 


236 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


and  seen  how  He  drove  the  brokers  and  merchants  from  the  Temple,  and  the 
other  miracles  which  He  performed  there.  So  word  went  quickly  through  the 
village,  and  was  borne  over  the  hills  by  travelers,  and  conveyed  by  swift  report 
to  all  the  people  living  within  a  wide  radius  :  "Jesus  has  returned  to  Cana  ;  the 
wonderful  man  who  performs  miracles,  and  who  certainly  has  the  seal  of 
Divinity  upon  Him,  has  come  back  to  show  forth  His  works."  And  the  whole 
country  was  ablaze  with  excitement :  a  splendid  welcome,  indeed  ;  a  joy  to  Christ 
in  again  meeting  His  mother  and  His  devoted,  trusting -and  worshipful  friends; 
and  an  occasion  for  thanksgiving  for  those  who  felt  the  presence  of  such  a  Holy 
One,  who  brought  honor  and  glory  to  their  town  and  means  of  salvation  to  all 
the  people.  It  there  were  drums  they  must  have  been  beaten ;  if  there  were 
banners  they  must  have  been  flung  to  the  wind  ;  if  there  were  musical  instru- 
ments they  must  have  been  set  playing.  Oh,  what  a  holiday  for  Cana,  what  a 
festival  for  all  Galilee  ! 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

A    CURE   IN   HIGH    LIFE. 

^^'^^V  EWS  did  not  speed  on  lightning  wings  or  whirring  train  in  the  days 
^1  ■  of  Christ,  but  good  report,  in  which  all  people  were  concerned,  flew 
I  f  swiftl}'  by  aid  of  horse  and  camel  and  fleet  foot  and  intercommunica- 
-^  ^  tion.  Capernaum  was  twenty  miles  away,  but  as  if  borne  by  whis- 
pering winds,  the  glad  intelligence  of  Christ's  return  to  Cana  quickly  reached  that 
place.  Peter  may  have  been  the  messenger,  returning  home  after  a  nine  months' 
absence  spent  with  Jesus  ;  but  if  not  Peter,  then  some  other  trustworthy  person 
carried  the  happy  news.  And  there  was  one  person  in  Capernaum  to  whom  the 
information  was  especially  gladdening,  though  he  may  never  have  seen  Jesus  or 
regarded  Him  with  great  concern  until  the  hour  that  affliction  excited  his  hopes. 
It  is  true  that  the  miracles  wrought  by  Jesus  had  been  reported  to  Herod  Antipas, 
and  that  his  foster  brother,  Manaen,  and  that  Joanna,  wife  of  the  king's  steward, 
and  many  other  influential  persons  had  made  public  acknowledgment  of  their 
belief  in  Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  but  we  are  not  told  that  any  officers  of  the  court 
were  believers.  But  to  one  of  the  fine  residences  of  Capernaum  there  had  come  a 
visitor  that  drove  out  thought  of  worldly  ambition  and  princely  luxur>',  and  left 
the  sorrow  of  a  deep  affliction  in  their  place.  A  nobleman's  son  had  been  stricken 
with  a  fever  and  lay  so  ill  that  the  air  from  the  wings  of  death  could  almost  be 
felt.  On  a  rich  couch,  with  sumptuous  surroundings,  lay  the  sufferer,  whose 
hectic  cheeks,  quickened  pulse,  short  respirations,  parched  tongue,  and  staring 
eyes,  showed  how  tightly  he  was  embraced  by  the  hot  arms  of  a  deadly  fever. 
Mother  had  spent  the  hours  of  night  as  well  as  of  day  bathing  his  temples,  wetting 
his  swollen  lips,  smoothing  his  dry  forehead,  speaking  soothing  words  while  her 
eyes  were  wet  from  weeping  and  her  heart  bursting  with  grief.  Father,  a  noble- 
man of  degree,  almost  princely  of  rank,  but  now  an  unstrung  man,  wrung  by  this 
great  affliction,  stood  in  the  sick  chamber  with  bated  breath,  his  tongue  almost  as 
useless  as  that  of  his  dj'ing  boy,  and  his  eyes  looking  into  vacancy.  The  doctors 
had  probably  told  him  how  hopeless  was  the  case,  and  leaving  some  narcotic  or 
quieting  febrifuge  as  a  last  prescription  had  turned  away  with  the  assurance  that 
skill  of  earthly  physician  could  do  no  more.  Oh,  what  a  sad  hour  was  this  to  the 
rich  man,  whose  wealth  and  position  could  only  be  a  mockery  now  ;  which  could 
only  serve  to  emphasize  the  puerility,  the  weakness,  the  extreme  helplessness  of 
the  most  exalted  when  brought  to  answer  the  inexorable  law  of  nature, 

(237) 


238  FROM    MANGIER    TO   THRONE. 

Hope  Points  the  Way  to  Jesus. 

But  in  the  iiKMueiit  i»f  his  most  profound  grief  the  nobleman  learns  of  the 
presence  of  Jesus  in  Cana.  (Juick  to  his  mind  he  recalled  the  many  reports  cur- 
rent of  the  miracles  performed,  of  the  sick  healed,  of  all  the  splendid  deeds  of 
charity  performed  by  Christ.  Without  hesitating  t^)  reason  on  the  probability  of 
the  truth  of  these  reports,  without  waiting  to  call  Manacn,  or  Peter,  the  nobleman 
decides  promptly,  innnediately,  to  call  Jesus.  Saddling  up  the  swiftest  horse, 
making  the  most  hurried  preparation,  he  sets  out  for  Cana,  nor  stops  for  food  or 
water  initil  he  comes  into  the  Divine  presence,  about  one  o'clock  in  the  aftenioon. 
There  may  have  been  a  crowd  about  Jesus,  but  being  one  in  authority  the  noble- 
man would  not  hesitate  to  press  his  way  through,  and  without  scarcely  preceding 
his  request  with  a  salutation,  so  urgent  the  occasion,  he  addressed  the  Lord  with 
anxious  speech  and  with  evidence  of  intense  grief,  "Come  down  and  heal  my 
son.  "  Jesus,  obser\-ing  his  anxiety,  had  great  compassion  for  the  nobleman,  but 
embraced  the  opportunity  of  imparting  a  lesson  in  faith  as  well  as  to  give  proof  of 
His  Messiahship.  So  He  answered,  "  Except  ye  see  signs  and  wonders  ye  will 
not  believe. "  But  the  nobleman  would  not  be  brought  into  a  discussion,  time 
was  too  precious  ;  therefore  with  tears  of  supplication,  in  which  faith  in  Christ's 
p>ower  was  clearly  exhibited,  he  again  besought,  "  Sir,  conic  down  ere  my  child 
die.  "  For  his  faith  he  was  rewarded  with  an  assurance  that  must  have  made  his 
heart  leap  with  joy  ;  which  must  have  thrilled  him  with  ecstasy  greater  than  any 
he  had  ever  felt  before  :     "  Go  thy  way  ;  thy  son  liveth." 

That  the  nobleman  was  not  puffed  up  with  arrogance  or  doubted  the  power 
of  Jesus,  is  proved  by  the  fact  that,  upon  receiving  assurance  that  his  son  would 
recover,  he  departed  so  leisurely  for  Capernaum  that  it  took  him  twenty-four 
hours  to  travel  back  over  the  distance  which  he  had  accomplished,  in  his  eager- 
ness to  find  Jesus,  in  less  than  six.  As  he  was  nearing  Capeniaum  some  of  his 
ser\'ants  went  out  to  meet  him,  being  anxious  to  bear  the  joyful  news  of  his  son's 
recoven.',  and  as  they  announced  to  him  the  glad  tidings,  he  showed  no  more 
concern  than  a  desire  to  verif)'  what  he  already  believed — so  great  was  his  faith — 
tliat  the  cure  was  coincident  with  the  pronouncement  of  Jesus.  And  he  found  it 
to  be  so,  "  and  himself  believed,  and  his  whole  house." 

Bloody  Desecration  of  the  Temple. 

After  healing  the  nobleman's  son,  Jesus  went  into  retirement  for  a  season  of 
several  months,  no  doubt  spending  a  while  with  His  mother  in  Nazareth.  The 
disciples  had  in  the  meantime  returned  to  their  respective  vocations,  and  the  min- 
istrations of  both  Lord  and  followers  ceased.  The  cause  of  their  temporary  disap- 
pearance from  public  view  may  be  found,  as  Geikie  states,  in  two  events  which 
transpired  about  this  time  ;  John  the  Baptist,  who  had  been  repining  in  prison, 


\i 


240  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

but  who  was  so  strong  in  the  affections  of  the  people  that  it  was  believed  Antipas 
would  soon  release  him,  was  now  brought  from  his  imprisonment,  at  the  instiga- 
tion of  Herodias,  and  beheaded.  This  act  created  such  an  agitation  that  for  a 
while  a  revolt  was  threatened  which  promised  to  array  the  Galileans  against  the 
Pharisees  and  to  bring  on  civil  revolution.  The  great  excitement  under  which 
the  people  now  labored  unfitted  them  for  religious  instructions,  and  the  continued 
appearance  of  Jesus  before  large  crowds  would  have  intensified  and  aggravated 
the  situation,  and  probably  led  to  His  own  apprehension  by  order  of  Antipas. 

At  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  held  either  in  the  preceding  year  or  in  the  fall 
following  the  return  of  Jesus  to  Cana,  there  occurred  a  shocking  scene  in  Jerusa- 
lem precipitated  by  the  Roman  garrison,  who,  by  acts  of  intolerance  towards  the 
pilgrims  from  Galilee,  aroused  the  latter  to  a  brave  and  sturdy  resistance.  An 
emeute  followed,  which  soldiers  from  the  fortress  of  Antonia  were  sent  to  quell, 
and  so  violently  did  they  assail  the  Galileans  that  they  drove  the  latter  into  the 
Temple  and  followed  them  even  into  the  courts  of  that  sacred  place  and  slaugh- 
tered them  with  a  very  fiendish  bloodthirstiness.  The  unfortunates  who  took 
refuge  in  the  Temple  were  not  only  killed  by  the  soldiers,  but  their  offerings  of 
cattle  and  sheep  were  also  butchered  that  blood  of  beasts  might  mingle  with  that 
of  the  slain  (Luke  xiii.  i) .  To  add  fuel  to  the  flame  of  excitement  which  the 
murder  of  John  and  the  slaughter  of  the  Galileans  had  started,  Judas,  a  Galilean, 
who  had  led  the  first  insurrection  against  Rome,  was  stirring  the  people  up,  by 
impassioned  appeals,  to  arise  and  establish  the  Kingdom  of  God  by  the  sword. 
The  wildest  religious  fanaticism  took  possession  of  the  Galileans  particularly,  who 
began  to  look  towards  Jesus  as  a  leader  in  the  revolt,  but  from  which  He  shrank 
with  feelings  of  abhorrence  ;  for  His  was"  a  mission  of  peace  and  good-will ;  a 
binding  up  of  the  nation's  differences  in  the  diffusion  of  a  universal  fellowship 
founded  upon  forgiveness,  mercy,  charity,  love  and  righteousness.  Hence  He 
retired  for  a  season  and  remained  in  seclusion  until  the  disturbances  subsided. 

Jesus  Appears  in  the  Synagogue  at  Nazareth. 

The  events  thus  recorded  are  only  intimated  by  Luke  and  are  not  mentioned 
by  any  of  the  Apostles,  nor  does  it  appear  from  the  Scriptural  text  that  Jesus 
withdrew  from  the  public  ministry,  for  following  (as  it  appears)  the  healing  of 
the  nobleman's  son  He  appeared  at  Nazareth,  and  on  the  Sabbath  opened  the 
service  in  the  synagogue.  Being  accepted  as  a  rabbi  He  was  given  the  roll,  at 
His  request,  from  which  to  read.  It  was  the  custom,  as  we  are. told  in  Acts  xv. 
12,  to  read  the  law  of  Moses  in  the  synagogue  ever>^  Sabbath  day,  the  reading 
being  consecutive  and  so  divided  as  to  require  three  years  to  read  the  whole.  But 
there  was  also  another  roll  on  which  was  written  the  prophecies,  and  portions  of 
these  were  also  read  in  the  opening  service,  or  preliminary  to  the  regular  discourse. 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


241 


Whether  by  accident,  in  pursuance  of  Divine  purpose,  or  it  chanced  that  the  verse 

was  appointed  for  that  day's  service,  the  fact  is  no  less  remarkable,  that  when 

Jesus  opened  the  roll  His  eyes  rested  upon  the  sixty-first  chapter  of  Isaiah,  first 

verse,  from  which  He  read  the   following   Divinely  approjjriate   words:    "The 

Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon 

Me,  becau.se  the  Lord  hath 

anointed  Me  to  preach  good 

tidings  to  the   meek  ;     He 

hath  sent  Me  to  bind  up  the 

broken-hearted,  to  proclaim 

liberty  to  the  captives,  and 

the  opening  of  the   prison 

to  them  that  are  bound  ;   to 

])roclaim  the  acceptable  year 

of  the  Lord.  " 

Having  thus  read  (the 
text  of  Luke  iv.  being 
slightly  different  from  that 
of  Isaiah) ,  Jesus  closed  the 
roll,  and  sitting  down,  be- 
gan to  preach  to  the  con- 
gregation. In  so  doing  He 
practically  usurped  the  duty 
of  the  regular  reader,  and 
also  of  the  officiating  rabbi ; 
but  was  He  not  both  the 
Law  and  the  Gospel,  and 
hence  above  the  priest  and 
the  synagogue  ?  Closing 
the  roll,  His  first  utterance 
was,  '  'This  day  is  this  Scrip- 
ture fulfilled  in  your  ears." 
Having  thus  .spoken  He 
gave  a  full  exposition  of  the 
meaning  of  the  text  and  its 
fulfillment  in  His  appear- 
ance, though  He  did  not  attempt  to  present  proofs  of  His  Messiahship.  But  havmg 
declared  Himself  as  the  Messiah  He  anticipated  the  resentflilness  of  His  hearers, 
who  would  ask  evidence  of  His  claims,  in  the  performance  of  such  miracles  as  He 
was  reported  to  have  accomplished  elsewhere,  and  He  therefore  answered  their 
16 


JKWISH    PRIE.ST,    AND    ROLL    OF    MANUSCKU'T    EMBRACING 
THR    rKNTATKl'CH. 


-4-"  FROM    MANGER    TO    THRONE. 

tacit  objections  by  saying,  "  Verily  1  say  nnto  >ou.  No  prophet  is  accepted  in  his 
own  country. "  He  then  recalled  to  their  minds  the  fact  that  Elijah  had  fore- 
told the  famine  that  would  prevail  for  three  and  a  half  years  in  Israel  to  no  one 
but  a  widow  woman  oi  Sarepta  ;  and  oi  the  many  lepers  in  the  time  of  Ehsha 
that  prophet  had  healed  only  Naaman  ;  yet  the  people  believed  in  Elijah  and 
Elisha,  nor  required  repeated  manifestations  o{  their  power,  as  instruments  of 
God.  The  rebuke  was  so  direct,  the  retlection  upon  their  corruptness  so  palpable, 
that  the  jews  sitting"  within  sound  of  His  voice  become  not  only  uneasy  but 
hostile.  They  looked  at  one  another  in  amazement  and  said,  with  an  air  of 
surj^rise  at  His  pretensions.  "Why,  is  not  this  the  son  of  Joseph,  the  carpenter, 
our  townsman  ?  has  He  not  grown  up  amongst  us  ?  has  He  had  any  advantages  of 
schooling  ?  though  He  speaks  wisely  is  He  not  unfitted  for  the  priesthood  ?  was 
tliere  anything  remarkable  in  His  boyhood  ?  do  we  not  know  His  sisters  and 
brothers,  and  that  the>-  are  all,  like  Himself,  common  people?  Humph  !  the  pre- 
sumption of  this  Man  is  amazing  ;  not  only  comparing  Himself  with  our  greatest 
prophets  but  actually  declaring  Himself  the  Messiah  that  is  to  come."  And  their 
jealous  rage  was  so  increased  that  probably  moved  by  one  bolder  spirit  in  the 
congregation,  they  rose  up  like  a  mob.  and  seizing  Jesus  they  hustled  Him  with 
rough  usage  to  the  brow  of  a  ledge  shelving  off  the  hill  on  which  the  synagogue 
stood,  intending  to  hurl  Him  upon  the  rock  below.  "  But  His  time  was  not  yet 
come."  On  the  instant  the  mob  cease  their  murderous  clamors  ;  their  arms  fall, 
their  feet  falter,  their  lips  grow  mute.  As  God  paralyzed  the  hand  of  Jeroboam 
so  He  now  palsied  the  limbs  of  the  mobocratic  Jews,  and  they  were  compelled  to 
see  the  object  of  their  wrath  pass  hannless  through  their  midst,   triinnphant  in 

their  discomfiture. 

Call  to  the  Fishermen. 

Rejected  and  despised  by  His  own  townspeople,  who  were  so  ingrained  with 
bigotn-,  and  so  vain  of  their  institutions  and  pompous  ceremonials,  contaminated 
as  they  were  by  the  abuses  of  priestly  ambition,  that  they  were  no  longer  disposed 
towards  the  truth  or  revelation,  Jesus  left  Nazareth  and  went  to  reside  at  Caper- 
naum, on  the  shore  of  Lake  Galilee,  probably  making  His  home  with  Peter,  and 
here  He  began  His  ministn-  again.  It  was  in  Galilee  that  His  labors  were  to  bear 
the  richest  fruits,  in  fulfillment  of  both  prophecy  and  tradition  :  the  land  to  which 
Isaiah  pointed  in  his  grand  prefigurement  :  "  The  land  of  Zabulon,  and  the  land 
of  Nephthalim,  by  way  of  the  sea,  beyond  Galilee  of  the  Gentiles  :  The  people 
which  sat  in  darkness  saw  great  light,  and  to  them  which  sat  in  the  region  and 
shadow  of  death  light  is  sprung  up."  In  this  land  the  Jews  have  long  looked  for 
the  Messiah,  and  still  hold  so  sacredly  to  the  belief  that  His  appearance  will  be 
made  there  that  inany  Jews  assemble  each  year  at  Tiberias,  one  of  their  holy 
cities,  in  expectation  of  witnessing  His  coming. 


nn:  i."  m.i.ini".  oi'  simon   anu  anpkkw.      Hrawn  bv  lUda. 


i^-kO 


244  FROM   MANGER   TO  THRONE. 

A  more  beautiful  country  it  is  hard  to  find  than  the  region  about  Capernaum, 
and  to  the  beauty  of  the  landscape  was  added  great  hospitality  of  the  people.  It 
was  a  region  the  best  adapted  to  the  preparation  of  Christ's  teaching  ;  a  field 
awaiting  the  sower  ;  a  field  fallow  from  long  disuse,  and  rich  from  the  accumula- 
tions of  abuses  which  the  people  themselves  had  grown  weary  of.  In  Galilee,  as 
in  all  parts  of  Judah,  the  dispensations  of  Moses  had  become  obsolete,  and 
hypocritical  ceremony,  under  pretence  of  observing  the  law,  had  grown  into 
"theocratic  slavery."  In  short,  Israel  was  spiritually  dead,  and  this  moribund 
condition  of  the  ancient  faith  and  teaching  was  due  directly  to  a  hierarchy  ths^t 
regarded  only  a  zeal  for  the  rabbinical  precepts,  an  outward  show  without  even 
respect  to  an  accountability  to  God.  Worldly  ambition  had  usurped  the  throne 
of  conscience  and  of  faith.  The  people  realized  this  even  though  they  were  under 
priestly  domination.  Hence,  when  Christ  came  preaching  a  new  dispensation,  a 
new  religion,  in  which  ceremony  and  rites,  and  sacrifices  and  genuflexions  before 
priests  had  small  part,  He  found  not  a  few  ready  to  receive  Him  gladly.  He  came 
to  do  away  with  the  old,  to  teach  the  folly  of  putting  new  wine  into  old  bottles,  or 
patching  up  old  clothes  with  new  pieces.  His  call  was  therefore  to  repentance, 
the  arousing  of  Israel  to  their  shortcomings,  to  their  decay  as  a  people  under  the 
emasculating  efiects  of  shallow  pretences,  in  which  the  spirit  of  their  ancient  faith 
was  no  longer  discoverable.  He  came  asking.  Are  you  just?  are  you  pure?  are 
you  God-fearing  and  God-serving  ?  do  you  love  one  another  ?  do  you  keep  the 
commandments  ?  He  did  not  care  to  know,  for  it  was  unimportant,  whether  the 
people  observed  all  the  feast  and  fast  days,  or  whether  they  went  regularh  to  the 
synagogue  services  ;  or  whether  their  phylacteries  were  broad  or  narrow  ;  or 
whether  they  were  faithful  to  the  rigorous  laws  respecting  the  Sabbath.  All  these 
were  but  travesties  on  holy  ordinances,  so  long  as  their  obsers^ance  was  wanting  in 
the  true  spirit  of  righteousness. 

The  doctrine  which  Jesus  taught  appealed  so  directly  to  the  loftiest  purpose 

and  best  ambitions  of  man,  and  quickened  the  heart  to  such  a  true  conception  of 

the  nature  of  God,  that  He  converted  thousands  through  the  conviction  of  His 

reasoning,  independent  of  the  Messianic  power  which  He  exhibited  in  the  working 

of  miracles. 

The  Disciples  Called  to  their  Labors. 

It  was  doubtless  directly  upon  His  visit  to  Capernaum  that  He  sought  the 
beach  of  Galilee,  and  there  seeing  His  two  first  disciples,  Simon  Peter  and  Andrew, 
cast  in  their  nets,  He  called  to  them,  saying,  "  Follow  Me  and  I  will  make  you 
fishers  of  men."  In  response  to  the  Divine  summons  they  immediatelj' left  off 
fishing,  and  joining  Him  the  three  walked  along  the  beach  until  He  saw  two  other 
fishermen,  who  were  also  brothers,  named  James  and  John,  sitting  in  a  boat  with 
their  father,  Zebedee.     John  was,  with  Peter,  the  first  follower  of  Jesus,  and  he 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  245 

was  aftei  wards  to  be  known  as  the  * '  beloved  disciple, ' '  faithful  in  all  things. 
His  brother  James  may  have  also  known  the  Lord,  but  if  not  He  was  certainly- 
acquainted  with  Him  through  reports  He  had  heard  from  John,  and  was  therefore 
glad  to  become  a  follower.  The  party  now  being  augmented  to  five  they  went 
back  to  Capernaum,  where,  on  the  Sabbath  succeeding,  Jesus  went  into  the  syna- 
gogue to  preach.  The  power  of  His  speech  was  so  great  and  His  reasoning  so 
earnest  and  convincing  that  the  audience  was  both  astonished  and  felicitated. 
The  congregation  could  not  help  comparing  Him  with  the  rabbis  and  scribes 
whom  duty  required  them  to  listen  to  as  long  as  they  could  prevent  sleep  from 
shutting  up  their  ears.  The  same  thing  uttered  Sabbath  after  Sabbath,  the  same 
monotone  of  meaningless  instruction,  the  same  forms,  that  had  become  obsolete  so 
far  as  the}'  had  any  significance,  until  church  had  become  a  place  of  preliminary 
torment.  But  how  the  people  straightened  in  their  seats  when  Christ  began  to 
preach  ;  the  poor  of  sight  rubbed  the  sleep  and  water  from  their  eyes,  while  the 
dull  of  hearing  made  a  trumpet  of  their  hands.  Why,  what  eloquence  of  speech  ! 
what  wealth  of  striking  illustrations  !  what  sublime  similes  and  metaphors  and 
word-pictures  !  what  revelations  !  what  wisdom  !  what  doctrines  !  No  wonder 
that  the  congregation  was  astonished,  ' '  for  His  word  was  with  power,  and  He 
taught  them  as  one  that  had  authority  and  not  as  the  scribes. ' ' 

Undeviled. 

The  spiritual  outpouring  in  the  audience  was  great,  the  enthusiasm  of  con- 
viction was  tremendous  ;  the  awakening  to  a  new  and  holier  faith  was  overpower- 
ing. But  in  the  assemblage  was  a  man  who,  Mark  says,  "had  a  spirit  of  an 
unclean  devil."  All  devils  are  unclean  ;  they  are  the  scavengers  of  humanity,  as 
much  as  the  hog  is  of  brute  or  porcine  creation.  But  the  devil-possessed  man 
interrupted  the  meeting,  and  hence  Mark  may  have  had  a  purpose  in  applying 
the  word  unclean  as  an  epithet  to  express  special  vileness.  And  the  devil  cried 
out  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  "  Let  us  alone  ;  what  have  we  to  do  with  Thee, 
Thou  Jesus  of  Nazareth  ?  Art  Thou  come  to  destroy  us  ?  I  know  Thee  who 
Thou  art,  the  Holy  One  of  God."  And  Jesus  rebuked  him,  saying,  "  Hold  thy 
peace  and  come  out  of  him." 

Whether  the  demoniacs  whom  Jesus  quieted  and  restored  were  lunatics,  as 
many  authors  maintain,  or  were  really  possessed  of  devils,  is  a  question  which 
does  not  affect  the  importance  of  the  miracles  of  their  "  casting  out.  "  It  is  hardly 
more  wondrous  to  undevil  a  man  than  it  is  to  restore  reason,  at  a  word,  to  the 
brain-distracted,  the  ravening,  frenzied  bedlamite — the  re-enthronement  of  a  mind 
lost  in  the  darkness  of  shattered  intellect.  But  if  devils  are  instrumentalities  of 
evil  ;  if  to  them  the  loss  of  Eden  is  due  ;  if  they  sought  Jesus  to  tempt  Him  on 
the  Temple  height,  and  on  Quarantana's  peak,  and  in  the  wilderness  ;    and  if  Job 


246  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

was  afflicted  through  the  operative  spirit  of  a  malicious  and  jealous  devil,  then  we 
cannot  believe  that  the  power  of  demons  was  limited  merely  to  outward  control, 
since  possession,  through  spiritual  agency,  follows  by  implication.  And  while 
the  possession  of  a  demon  was  confounded  with  many  diseases,  such  as  the  various 
forms  of  lunacy,  and  especially  of  violent  cases  of  epilepsy,  yet  the  Eord  distinctly 
recognizes  the  possession  of  devils  in  two  instances,  when  He  refers  to  the  casting 
out  of  demoxis  through  Beelzebub,  and  the  entrance  of  demons  into  the  herd  of 
swine  at  Gadara.  Therefore,  Dr.  Smith  says,  "  We  are  led  to  the  ordinary  and 
literal  interpretation  of  these  (scriptural)  passages,  that  there  are  evil  spirits, 
subjects  of  the  Evil  One  who,  in  the  days  of  the  Lord  himself,  and  His  Apos- 
tles especially,  were  permitted  b)^  God  to  exercise  a  direct  influence  over  the 
souls  and  bodies  of  certain  men." 

The  acknowledgment  of  Jesus  by  the  demoniac  might  have  gone  far  towards 
establishing  His  claim  to  the  Messiahship,  because  the  people  regarded  the  say- 
ings of  these  possessed  persons  with  great  faith,  as  the  utterances  of  a  higher 
power  than  man.  But  Jesus  would  not  permit  the  testimony  of  a  devil  to  be 
accepted  in  His  behalf;  He  would  acknowledge  no  favors  from  the  arch  adver- 
sary whom  He  had  been  sent  to  oppose.  Hence,  waving  His  hand  toward  the 
victim,  with  much  indignity,  He  says,  "  Hold  thy  peace,  and  come  out  of  him  !  " 
And  immediately  the  devil  is  forced  by  the  Divine  will  to  relinquish  possession 
of  the  man,  and  to  flee  from  the  Holy  Presence,  but  not  until  the  evil  spirit  had 
thrown  the  demoniac  to  the  floor  and  into  convulsions,  which  caused  him  to  cr>' 
out  in  agony  as  the  devil  gave  him  one  final  clutch.  But  after  the  struggle  there 
was  a  calm  as  a  second  surprise  to  the  witnesses.  Rising  from  the  floor  with 
grateful  spirit,  the  man  fronts  the  audience  with  eyes  that  had  suddenly  lost  their 
wildness,  with  lips  that  were  no  longer  quivering,  and  with  speech  that  bespoke 
the  equilibrium  of  his  brain,  the  restoration  of  his  intellect,  the  freedom  of  his 
mind.  And  those  who  saw  this  wondrous  thing,  said  one  to  another,  "  Wliat 
thing  is  this  ?  What  new  doctrine  is  this  ?  for  with  authority  and  power  com- 
mandeth  He  even  the  unclean  spirits  and  they  do  obey  Him." 

A  Typhoid  Arrested. 

The  news  of  the  service  in  the  synagogue,  the  new  doctrine  which  Christ 
preached,  and  the  manifestation  of  His  power  to  cast  out  devils,  spread  rapidly 
until  soon  every  person  in  Galilee  had  heard  of  Him  and  began  to  flock  to 
Capernaum  to  hear  Him  teach  and  to  see  His  works.  But  this  good  deed  done 
in  the  synagogue  on  the  first  Sunday  of  His  stay  in  Capernaum  was  to  be 
equaled  by  another  before  the  day  should  be  done.  As  Jesus  and  His  four 
disciples  came  out  of  the  synagogue,  Simon  Peter  must  have  asked  them  to  dine 
or  sup  at  his  house,  which  invitation  being  accepted,  the  five  went  on  until  some  of 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


-47 


the  house  servants  or  neighbors  of  Simon  met  him  with  the  sorrowing  intelligence 
that  his  mother-in-law  had  been  stricken  with  a  fever  and  his  presence  was 
imm'ediatel}'  required. 

The  report  of  the  woman's  illness,  no  doubt,  made  the  whole  party  anxious 
to  reach  the  bedside  as  quickly  as  possible,  though  Jesus  foresaw  th.e  speedy  ter- 
mination of  the  affliction.  But  they  hurried  on  till  our  Lord  was  brought  into 
the  sick  room  and  saw  the  deeply-flushed  cheek  of  the  suffering  mother-in-law, 
whereupon  looking  down  upon  her.  He  spoke  comforting  words  and  with  His 
healing  hand  stroked  the  burning  forehead,  cooled  the  dry  and  hot  lips,  refreshed 
the  parched  body,  tranquilized  the  hurried  breathing.  Then,  so  gently,  so 
cheerily,  so  sympathetically,  He  took  hold  of  the  woman's  hands  and  raised  her 
up,  when  lo  !  she  discovered  that  the  fever  had  fled  before  the  rebuke  of  the 
Saviour,  and  her  restoration  to  health  was  upon  the  instant  so  complete  that  she 
set  about  the  preparation  of  the  meal  to  which  Jesus  and  His  disciples  had  been 

invited. 

A  Hospital  in  flotion. 

The  news  of  this  first  and  second  miracle  spread  with  extraordinarj'  celerity 
through  the  town.  Strict  Sabbatarian  laws  prevented  the  people  from  flocking  to 
Him  until  after  a  trumpet  blast  at  the  setting  of  the  sun  proclaimed  the  close  of 
the  day.  Then  the  excitement  quickly  became  intense.  Here  came  crowds  of 
five,  of  ten,  of  a  score,  of  a  hundred,  until  "  all  the  city  was  gathered  together  at 
the  door  "  of  Simon  Peter's  house.  Not  only  the  well,  but  the  sick;  some  on 
crutches,  some  carried  on  cots,  some  in  beds  which  they  had  not  been  able  to 
leave  for  months.  There  were  men,  women,  children,  in  all  manner  of  affliction  ; 
the  fever-stricken,  the  consumptive,  the  asthmatic  ;  the  epileptic,  the  paLsied, 
"pining  atrophy,  marasmus,  and  wide- wasting  pestilence;"  the  blind,  deaf, 
dumb ;  the  apoplectia,  the  paralyzed,  the  cancerous ;  the  lunatic,  maniac, 
demoniac,  ' '  And  all  that  had  any  sick  with  divers  diseases,  brought  them  unto 
Him  ;  and  He  laid  His  hands  on  every  one  of  them  and  healed  them." 

What  an  amazing  sight !  what  wonderment  !  what  admiration  !  and  what 
enrapturing,  transporting,  joy-infusing  miracles  were  these  !  the  touch  that  set 
abloom  the  rose  of  health  on  the  pallid  cheek  of  invalidism  !  the  words  that 
straightened  distorted  limbs  and  gave  back  strength  to  the  wasted  muscles  !  The 
world  has  never  seen  but  one  surgeon  who  could  straighten  the  crooked  limbs, 
cure  the  blind  eye,  or  reconstruct  the  drum  of  a  soundless  ear,  or  reduce  a  dropsy 
without  any  pain  at  the  time  or  any  pain  after,  and  that  surgeon  was  Christ,  the 
mightiest,  grandest,  gentlest  and  most  sympathetic  surgeon  the  world  ever  saw, 
or  ever  will  see,  and  He  deserves  the  confidence  and  love  and  worship  and 
hosannahs  of  all  the  earth  and  hallelujahs  of  all  heaven.  "The  blind  receive 
their  sight  and  the  lame  walk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed  and  the  deaf  hear." 


ai 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

CHRISTLY    LABORvS    IN    GALILEE. 

'HEN  the  lyord  withdrew  from  the  great  crowd  that  had  gathered 
about  Peter's  door  the  stars  must  have  pointed  their  jeweled  fingers 
toward  the  midnight  hour,  and  there  was  a  joy  in  Capernaum 
greater  than  ever  felt  before  ;  gratitude  and  thanksgiving  folded  up 
the  wings  of  sleep  and  bound  them  with  silken  fetters  of  praise-offerings.  Those 
that  had  been  ill  went  to  their  homes  to  rejoice,  while  the  Holy  Physician  retired 
to  His  bed  to  rest  against  the  labors  of  the  morrow.  But  knowing  that  the  news 
of  the  wonders  which  He  had  performed  would  quickly  bring  other  crowds  about 
Him,  gathered  from  the  adjacent  region,  He  arose  before  it  was  yet  day  and 
sought  a  quiet  place  where  He  might  pray  and  commune  with  God.  This  with- 
drawal became  a  custom  with  Jesus.  He  may  have  begun  it  in  the  early  years 
of  His  youth,  for  as  the  Son  of  God  He  must  have  sought  Fatherly  advice  long 
before  entering  upon  His  ministry,  but  the  Apostles  do  not  mention  His  retire- 
ment for  prayerful  purpose  until  the  morning  following  His  wondrous  works  at 
Capernaum,  "  When  He  went  out  [of  Peter's  house]  and  departed  into  a  solitary 
place,  and  there  prayed."  But  how  natural  an  act,  how  pursuant  to  the  com- 
mission which  He  had  been  sent  into  the  world  to  fulfill  ;  how  dutiful  and 
respectful  was  it  to  the  will  of  God.  And  He  prayed  not  only  for  Divine  direction, 
but  also  as  an  act  of  filial  love,  and  in  His  prayers  He  held  counsel  with  His 
Father,  and  received  anew  that  strength,  that  grace,  that  instruction  which  comes 
alone  from  God. 

But  it  was  only  a  short  while  after  His  departure  from  the  house  that  Jesus 
was  missed.  Even  as  the  gray  of  breaking  morning  began  to  appear,  crowds 
a.ssembled  about  Peter's  door  to  behold  and  to  receive  blessings  from  the  Holy 
One.  "  But  He  is  gone,"  word  qiiickly  passed  from  one  to  another.  A  consterna- 
tion of  regret  seized  all  the  gathering,  and  their  cries  of  grief  became  so  great 
that  Peter's  compassion  prompted  him  to  lead  the  people  to  the  place  where  his 
Lord  had  sought  seclusion.  Probably  Peter  was  accompanied  by  Andrew  and  John 
and  James,  and  going  before  the  throng  they  found  Jesus  and  apprised  Him  of 
the  anxiety  of  the  multitude  that  was  seeking  Him.  But  having  no  desire  for 
popular  applause,  and  feeling  that  He  had  already  given  Capernaum  sufficient 
evidence  of  His  Me.ssiahship,  He  an.swered,  "  Let  us  go  into  the  next  towns,  that 
I  may  preach   there  also;    for  therefore  came   I   forth."     A  great  majority  of 

(248) 


1249' 


250  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

persons  depend  upon  outward  manifestations  rather  than  inward  workings  of  the 
Spirit.  Those  who  had  been  witnesses  to  His  miracles  were  therefore  more  ready 
to  be  surprised  by  the  performance  of  wonders  than  to  be  converted  by  the 
teachings  which  He  imparted.  All  men  shrink  from  a  revelation  of  their 
misdeeds  ;  if  they  have  faults  they  do  not  want  them  aired  publicly,  and  least 
likely  are  they  to  confess  them  upon  accusation.  Jesus  had  not  only  done 
miracles,  but  He  boldly  denounced  the  sinfulness  of  the  people  and,  exposing 
their  vanities,  which  had  drawn  them  away  from  God,  taught  that  purification, 
regeneration,  can  only  come  through  self-conviction,  and  self-conviction  is 
dependent  upon  self- scrutiny,  a  reflecting  upon  wrong  committed  and  disobedience 
to  God.  Having  given  all  Capernaum  a  proof  of  His  power  over  disease,  Jesus 
taught  the  people  the  means  necessary  to  salvation,  and  He  was  therefore  justified 
in  leaving  them  to  ponder  His  words,  to  rest  the  proofs  of  His  teachings  on  the 
miracles  which  He  had  performed,  for  if  accepted  as  the  Anointed  One  of  God, 
it  must  be  by  the  heart  rather  than  by  the  material  understanding.  This  teaching 
and  evidence  it  now  became  His  duty  to  give  others,  for  He  was  to  preach  not  to 
one  congregation,  or  to  one  provincie,  or  to  one  nation,  but  unto  the  Gentile  and 
Jew  alike,  and  to  all  people. 

Circles  of  Mercy. 

When  the  persuasion  of  His  disciples  proved  ineffectual  to  change  His  pur- 
pose, Jesus  was  besieged  by  the  gathering  with  implorations  to  remain,  but  He 
replied  to  every  petition  in  the  same  manner,  "  I  must  preach  the  kingdom  of 
God  to  other  cities  also,  for  therefore  am  I  sent."  Now  began  His  circuit  of 
Galilee,  not  probably  so  extended  as  it  was  thorough,  for  He  preached  in  all  the 
synagogues,  visited,  most  likely,  all  the  towns,  and  in  every  place  He  not  only 
taught,  but  exercised  His  Divine  power  in  healing  all  manner  of  diseases. 
There  was  no  locality  in  Galilee,  I  am  sure,  that  did  not  have  grateful  witness 
to  His  beneficent  work  ;  long  lines  of  sick,  and  crippled,  and  deformed,  and  blind, 
came  like  files  of  troops  marching  to  quarters,  and  gathered  about  Him  seeking 
that  help  which  physicians  had  been  unable  to  give.  With  touch,  or  word,  or 
motion,  one  after  another  was  healed  of  all  infirmity,  until  those  who  came  on 
pallet,  or  crutch,  or  unsteady  limbs,  went  away  in  .full  vigor,  leaping  and 
praising,  and  carrying  the  glad  news  of  their  sudden  restoration  to  others  in 
misfortune.  It  was  not  one,  or  a  dozen,  or  a  hundred,  but  thousands  of  the  worst 
disease- infested,  and  poison-infested,  and  hereditarily  afflicted  that  Christ  minis- 
tered to  with  invariable  success.  No  wonder  that  people  came  flocking  to  Him 
from  such  distant  provinces  as  Judah  on  the  south  and  Syria  on  the  northeast, 
and  Perse  a  beyond  the  Dead  Sea,  and  that  wherever  He  went  there  multitudes 
were  found  encamped. 


(25; 


252  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

The  Worst  Disease  Extirpated. 

There  was  no  disease  that  could  baffle  the  skill  of  the  Great  Physician,  just 
as  there  was  no  sorrow  that  He  could  not  dispel,  and  no  hope  that  He  could  not 
fulfill,  and  no  suffering  heart  that  He  could  not  lift  up  and  irradiate  with  joy. 
While  the  works  which  He  performed  in  making  this  circuit  of  Galilee  are  barely 
referred  to  by  the  Apostles,  we  appreciate  their  immeasurable  greatness  none  the 
less,  for  if  He  healed  all  manner  of  sickness,  and  His  fame  spread  so  far  by  reason 
of  the  miracles  done,  we  know  that  He  was  busy  dispensing  His  gracious  influence 
from  earty  morning  until  far  into  the  night,  preaching  one  hour  and  curing  the 
afflicted  for  the  next  six,  so  that  he  took  little  rest,  finding  refreshment  in  the 
labor  of  doing  good  and  preaching  salvation. 

Luke  gives  us  to  understand  that  during  Christ's  itinerancy  in  Galilee  He  per- 
formed one  miracle  which  the  Evangelist  considered  of  such  extraordinary  import- 
ance that  he  thought  it  proper  to  record  the  facts,  and  thus  preserve  them  to  future 
generations.  The  narrative  is  brief :  ' '  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  He  was  in  a 
certain  city,  behold  a  man  full  of  leprosy  ;  who,  seeing  Jesus,  fell  on  his  face,  and 
besought  Him,  saying,  Lord,  if  Thou  wilt,  Thou  canst  make  me  clean.  And  He 
put  forth  His  hand  and  touched  him,  saying,  I  will ;  be  thou  clean.  And  imme- 
diateh'  the  leprosy  departed  from  him.  And  He  charged  him  to  tell  no  man  ;  but 
go,  and  show  thyself  to  the  priest,  and  offer  for  thy  cleansing,  according  as  Moses 
commanded,  for  a  testimony  unto  them." 

There  was  a  reason  for  Luke  attaching  so  much  importance  to  this  miracle, 
above  all  others  that  he  had  heard  of  Christ  performing  before.  The  restoring  of 
a  sightless  eye,  the  straightening  of  a  twisted  limb,  the  cooling  of  a  raging  fever, 
was  as  much  a  manifestation  of  Omnipotent  power  over  the  flesh  as  the  healing  of 
a  leper,  but  there  was  a  broader  significance  attached  to  the  latter  by  reason  of  the 
Mosaic  law  which  condemned  lepers  to  perpetual  ostracism  from  society. 

Of  all  diseases  that  afflict  humanity  that  of  leprosy  is  at  once  the  most  loath- 
some, the  most  deadly  and  the  most  horrible.  No  remedy  has  ever  been  discovered 
that  will  relieve  the  sufferer  or  abate  its  progress.  It  makes  its  appearance  in 
more  simple  form  than  an  incipient  cancer,  its  progress  is  more  insidious,  and  its 
termination  more  dreadful.  First  a  speck,  then  a  scale,  gradually  spreading  from 
eyelid  to  palms,  then  dotting  the  body,  but  always  enlarging,  always  eating. 
From  swellings,  pustules  form,  which,  breaking  into  open  sores,  leave  the  tissue  a 
quicker  prey  to  its  never-sated  appetite.  Devouring  paths  through  the  tissue,  it 
seizes  upon  the  bones  and  eats  on  into  the  marrow,  reserving  the.  vital  organs  for 
its  last  attacks.  What  monster  of  foul-breeding  loathsomeness  ;  what  a  remorse- 
less, greedy,  cruel  and  corrupting  malady,  that  never  releases  its  cankering  clutch  ; 
that  never  gives  a  moment's  pause  to  its  malignant  course  ;  that  moves  on  with 
venomous  distillment  until  its  invasion  is  arrested  by  death. 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  253 

That  from  time  immemorial  men  have  regarded  with  supreme  horror 
the  victims  of  lepros}-  is  most  natural,  and  that  the  Mosaic  law  recognized  the 
leprous  as  sufferers  under  God's  curse  is  not  a  matter  for  surprise.  They  were 
cut  off  from  the  congregation,  and  not  only  forbidden  to  come  within  the  pale 
of  society,  but  were  compelled  to  remain  without  the  walls  of  a  city.  They 
might  live  in  a  village,  but  must  never  approach  any  one,  and  must  bear  con- 
spicuous evidence  of  their  affliction  by  wearing  a  torn  garment,  leaving  the  head 
bare  and  keeping  the  beard  covered.  When  any  one  by  chance  drew  near  the 
leper,  he  must  1)e  warned  away  by  the  victim  crying  out,  "  Unclean,  unclean  !  " 
Although  this  was  the  law,  the  belief  in  the  infectious  nature  of  leprosy  gradu- 
ally changed  to  doubting,  until  the  rigorous  ordinances  finally  became  so  far 
relaxed  that  a  leper  might  dwell  with  his  family — though  by  doing  so  his 
associates  became" unclean — and  he  w^as  even  permitted  to  appear  in  a  synagogue, 
provided  a  place  could  be  provided  that  would  separate  him  from  all  others  of 
the  congregation. 

It  sometimes  happened  that  a  man  was  accused  of  being  a  leper  whose  afflic- 
tion had  been  improperly  diagnosed,  but  when  discovery  of  the  true  character  of 
ailment  was  made,  he  was  required  to  present  himself  to  a  priest  and  undergo  a 
ceremony  of  cleansing,  after  which  he  put  on  new  clothes,  and  after  bathing  and 
making  his  offerings  for  purification,  he  w^as  relieved  of  restrictions. 

But  a  man  full  of  leprosy,  as  was  the  sufferer  whom  Christ  healed,  had  no 
hope  ;  he  was  a  living  death,  a  moving  charnel-house,  an  outcast  from  heaven  as 
well  as  of  earth,  for  the  seal  of  sin  was  upon  him  ;  he  was  the  reservoir  into  which 
had  run  the  slime,  the  pollution,  the  poison  of  seven  generations  of  iniquity,  an 
example  of  the  contaminating  and  corrupting  effects  of  unbridled  sin.  That  a 
man  so  afflicted,  who  had  been  taught  by  Mosaic  law  and  custom  to  abandon  hope 
because  he  was  without  the  pale  of  even  God's  mercy,  that  such  a  one  should  seek 
Jesus  and  express  faith  in  the  Great  Physician's  power  to  cleanse,  is  a  thing  of 
itself  approaching  the  marvelous. 

In  the  healing  of  the  leper,  Christ  gave  an  exhibition  of  His -disregard  for 
ceremonial  law,  by  touching  the  afflicted  man,  but  His  purpose  was  probably  to 
especially  show  His  imnuuiity  from  defilement.  His  mastery  over  corruption  no 
less  than  over  disease.  His  touch  was  therefore  the  sign  of  that  purity  which 
incorrupts  the  corruptible,  that  cleanses  the  sinful,  and  which  makes  a  goodly 
spirit  possess  the  throne  of  guilt.  It  was  also  an  evidence  that  though  lepro.sy 
was  considered  as  a  type  of  sin,  Christ  regarded  not  the  beliefs  of  the  time  when 
they  conflicted  with  His  teachings  of  salvation  to  all  sinners  ;  that  sin  is  not 
inherited,  and  beyond  the  power  of  forgiveness,  but  that  however  corrupt  may  be 
the  body,  the  indwelling  spirit,  if  obedient  to  God,  is  preser\'ed  again.st  the  possi- 
bilitv  of  contamination. 


254  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

So  excited  became  the  people — already  agitated  with  emotion  at  the  miracles 
wrought — over  this  last  and  to  them  most  wonderful  manifestation  of  Messiahship, 
that  the  crowds  which  were  immense  before  now  became  fairly  enormous,  and 
gathered  in  such  volume  about  Jesus  that  He  found  it  necessary  to  withdraw  Him- 
self from  them  again.  On  the  outer  shore  of  that  ocean  of  humanity,  the  voice 
of  Jesus  could  not  be  heard,  nor  could  thousands,  perhaps,  of  the  diseased  be 
brought  through  that  closely  packed  throng  to  the  Gracious  Healer.  Men  had 
permitted  their  curiosity  to  close  their  ears  to  instruction,  so  Christ  retired,  as  He 
had  done  before,  to  give  opportunity  for  the  leaven  of  His  teachings  to  work  among 

the  people. 

A  Great  Haul  of  Fishes. 

Having  taught  in  all  the  synagogues  of  Galilee,  and  relieved  thousands  of 
sufferers.  He  seeks  rest  at  the  house  of  His  friend  Simon  Peter,  at  Capernaum. 
It  appears  from  the  reading  of  L,uke,  particularly,  that  Jesus  was  not  accompanied 
by  either  Peter,  Andrew,  James  or  John  any  considerable  time  or  distance 
on  the  evangelic  journey  through  Galilee.  They  had  not  yet  been  called  to 
preach  the  gospel,  and  being  poor  men  they  could  not  afford  to  long  abandon  their 
fishing  vocation  ;  hence,  if  they  followed  the  L,ord  at  all  it  must  have  been  only 
on  that  part  of  His  tour  through  the  immediate  region  about  Capernaum. 

Upon  His  return  to  Peter's  home,  we  can  imagine  with  what  hearty  welcome 
He  was  received  ;  not  only  by  the  four  brethren,  but  by  Peter's  mother-in-law, 
and  the  dispossessed  demoniac,  and  the  hundreds  of  other  grateful  persons  whom 
He  had  cured  of  distressing  afflictions.  Capernaum  must  have  given  Him  a  grand 
reception,  although  if  it  did  none  of  the  gospel  writers  record  the  fact.  The 
population  may  have  regarded  His  dislike  of  ostentation,  His  love  of  simplicity, 
His  self-abnegation,  His  Godly  attributes  that  hold  in  no  esteem  any  earthly  flat- 
tery. But  He  could  have  been  in  the  city  scarcely  an  hour  before  His  presence 
would  be  discovered,  and  wondering  and  expectant  crowds  would  begin  gathering 
about  Him.  "Jesus  has  returned,  and  is  at  the  house  of  Simon  Peter."  The 
glad  news  flieS  up  and  down  the  streets  as  fast  as  tongue  can  carry  it,  and  into  the 
adjacent  parts  with  all  the  speed  that  rider  can  convey  it.  How  the  people  pour 
out  of  their  places  ;  the  merchant  from  his  booth,  the  mechanic  from  his  shop,  the 
farmer  from  his  field,  the  clerk  from  the  counting-house  ;  until  market,  and 
exchange,  and  bazaar,  and  custom-house,  and  office  are  abandoned,  all  their  busy 
occupants  having  joined  the  throng  that  is  moving  or  has  already,  gathered  about 
Jesus.  It  is  to  such  a  multitude  that  the  Divine  Teacher  and  Holy  Healer  goes 
out  of  Peter's  house,  because  the  family  are  distressed  by  tlie  pressure,  and  so  He 
walks  down  to  the  shore  of  Gennesaret.  Still  the  throng  presses  about  Him,  one 
pushing  behind  another  until  there  is  no  chance  to  preach  because  of  the  jam  that 
crowds  Him  fairly  into  the  sea.     But  their  eagerness  to  hear  Him  shall  not  be 


FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONE. 


255 


disappointed.  Seeing  two  empty  fishing  boats  anchored  to  the  shore,  He  gets  into 
one  and  tells  Peter  to  push  it  a  few  feet  out  into  water,  when  being  at  a  convenient 
distance  from  His  immense  audience,  He  sits  in  the  prow  and  discourses  to  the 
people. 

Simon  Peter  had  spent  nearly  all  the  preceding  night  seining  the  lake,  but 
with  such  poor  success  that  he  had  nothing  to  show  for  his  toil.  It  was  evidently 
a  bad  time  for  fishing  ;  the  wind  may  have  been  in  the  east,  or  a  cold  spell  may 
have  driven  the  fish  into  deeper  water  ;  or  a  hot  spell  may  have  made  them  lie 


THE  MIRACUI.OUS  DRAUGHT  OF  FISHES.— From  the  Painting  by  Jean  Jouvenct. 

sluggishly  on  the  bottom.  Jesus  saw  the  ill-favored  condition  of  the  time  for 
fishing,  and  therefore  to  work  a  miracle  before  the  vast  crowd  that  had  congre- 
gated on  the  shore,  to  give  a  proof  of  His  divine  commission,  having  finished  His 
discourse.  He  said  to  Peter,  "  I^aunch  out  into  the  deep,  and  let  down  your  nets 
for  a  draught."  Or  in  other  words,  "  Peter,  call  your  assistants  and  row  out  into 
the  deep  water  of  the  lake  and  make  a  cast  of  your  largest  net." 

But  though  it  was  an  order  from  his  Divine  Master,  more  than  one  of  whose 
miraculous  performances  he  had  been  witness  to,  yet  Simon  was  so  doubtful  of 
success  that  he  replied,  "Master,  we  have  toiled  all  the  night,  and  have  taken 


256  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

nothing  ;  nevertheless  at  Thy  word  I  will  let  down  the  net. ' '  And  half-heartedly 
the  fishermen  pulled  awaj'  some  distance  from  the  shore,  but  still  in  good  view  of 
the  wondering  spectators,  and  at  Christ's  direction  they  cast  the  net  !  Make  a 
sweep  as  broad  as  the  seine  will  allow  and  then  draw  in.  Now  steady  ;  why, 
what  makes  it  so  heavy  ;  certainly  something  very  large  is  in  the  net.  Pull 
stronger  ;  ever>'  hand  lend  an  aid  ;  oh,  what  a  drag  ;  what  does  it  mean?  The 
cause  is  soon  discovered,  for  as  the  net  is  slowly  lifted,  there  are  to  be  seen  swirls 
in  the  water,  then  fins,  and  flouncing  tails,  and  great  commotion  prove  that  there 
is  an  extraordinary  catch.  And  though  hauling  with  all  their  strength,  and  until 
faces  grow  red  and  muscles  of  bared  arms  swell  under  the  strain,  yet  the  fishermen 
begin  to  rejoice  at  their  wonderful  success.  But  it  is  too  early  for  rejoicing,  for 
snap  goes  a  thread  of  the  net,  and  snap  goes  another  thread  ;  the  meshes  are 
growing  larger  and  leaving  doors  open  for  escape,  while  the  boat  is  careening 
under  the  great  weight  on  one  side  until  it  is  shipping  water,  until  there  is  not 
only  danger  of  losing  the  fish  but  of  sinking  the  smack  also.  To  avoid  such  an 
extremity,  Peter  cries  out  for  help  to  some  fishermen  who  are  in  another  boat 
near  by,  and  these  quickly  responding,  by  their  assistance  the  net  and  its  over- 
flowing contents  are  saved.  The  fish  are  tumbled  into  the  two  crafts  until  under 
the  accumulating  weight  the}'  sink  lower  and  lower  in  the  water,  till  the  gunwales 
are  almost  level  with  the  surface,  till  another  pound  must  not  be  added  or  else  the 
boats  will  sink.  Now  carefully  row  to  shore  ;  hold  your  positions,  for  the 
slightest  topple  will  bring  the  water  rushing  over  the  sides,  and  the  catch  will  yet 
be  lost !  But  being  good  fishermen  the  two  crews  were  also  good  boatmen,  and 
by  perfect  seamanship  they  reached  the  shore  safely  with  everything  saved.  Now 
was  the  time  for  rejoicing.  But  Peter  did  not  rejoice  so  much  over  the  success  of 
the  miraculous  haul  of  fish  as  he  was  humiliated  by  an  awakened  conscience  that 
revealed  his  faithlessness  ;  his  self-reproachment  for  doubting  the  words  of  Christ, 
in  the  implied  declaration  that  a  cast  of  the  net  would  result  in  a  large  catch  of 
fish,  caused  Peter  therefore  to  fall  on  his  knees  at  Jesus'  feet,  and  to  exclaim, 
"  Depart  from  me  ;  for  I  am  a  sinful  man,  O  Lord."  Or,  "  I  am  unworthy  to  be 
called  Thy  servant,  for  I  have  not  shown  that  fullness  of  confidence,  that  faith 
in  Thy  divine  works,  that  obedience  to  Thy  wishes,  which  a  true  servant  owes  to 
a  good  Master." 

But  Jesus  had  no  rebuke  for  the  conscience- stricken  Simon,  to  whom  He  only 
replied,  "Fear  not:  from  henceforth  thou  shalt  catch  men."  And  when  they 
had  brought  their  ships  to  land,  they  [Simon,  Andrew,  John  and  James]  forsook 

all  and  followed  Him." 

The  Fierce  Bigotry  of  Rabbi nism. 

lycaving  the  lake-side  to  escape  for  a  time  the  importunings  of  curiosity 
devotees,  the  discomforts  of  an  inconsiderate  rabble,  that  crowded  about  Him  in  a 


'ARISE,  TAKE  UP  THY  BED,  AND  WAI,K."— Drawn  by  Bida. 


17 


(.257) 


258  FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

confusion  of  babbling  tongues  and  pushing,  jostling  throng,  Jesus  repaired  to  a 
house  (most  probably  Peter's)  for  an  hour  of  rest.  Whether  He  was  permitted 
to  refresh  Himself  by  sleep,  or  secure  a  respite  for  a  while  from  the  taxing  labors 
of  teaching  and  healing,  is  doubtful,  for  there  was  no  abatement  of  public  excite- 
ment, but  rather  an  increas'e,  for  as  the  news  of  His  doings  continued  to  spread, 
the  crowd  augmented  almost  hourly  by  the  arrival  of  people  drawn  to  Capernaum 
from  all  parts  of  Galilee  and  Judah.  Among  those  who  there  sought  Jesus  were 
many  Pharisees  and  rabbis  from  Jerusalem,  who  came  not  so  much  to  hear  Him 
preach,  or  with  honest  purpose,  as  to  discover  how  strong  had  become  His 
influence  with  the  people,  and  to  condemn  Him  if  opportunity  offered.  While 
pretending  to  righteousness  and  holding  all  ecclesiastical  authority,  the  Pharisees 
and  rabbis  in  reality  composed  the  dominant  political  party,  and  therefore 
regarded  temporal  rather  than  spiritual  supremacy  as  the  highest  desideratum,  to 
which  end  they  subordinated  all  other  aspirations.  They  maintained  their 
exclusive  right  to  direct  all  religious  training,  and  became  insanely  jealous  of  any 
intrusion  upon  what  they  regarded  as  their  own  special  domain.  They  dressed 
in  the  most  impressive  habiliments,  long  robes,  betasseled  caps  and  broad  prayer- 
fillets  on  arms  and  forehead,  walked  with  measured  pace,  commonly  wore  long 
beards  and  assumed  a  look  of  profoundest  wisdom.  They  not  only  officiated  in 
religious  ceremonies,  but  representing  all  learning  at  the  time,  they  were  also 
public  functionaries,  judges  of  criminal  as  well  as  civil  courts,  and  were  the 
nation's  lawgivers.  They  were  especially  jealous  of  the  formularies  long  pre- 
scribed, and  punished  with  severity  any  infraction  of  ecclesiastical  law.  But  this 
rigid  literalism  was  used  merely  as  a  cloak  to  hide  their  true  ambitions,  for  their 
real  purpose  was  to  increase  and  perpetuate  their  worldly  powers  at  the  expense 
of  the  deluded  people,  whom  they  indeed  despised. 

Learning  of  the  miracles  that  Jesus  was  performing  in  Galilee,  and  the 
teachings  which  He  was  imparting,  that  were  spreading  a  liberalizing  influence 
among  the  Jews  to  the  imperilment  of  their  own  authority,  the  Pharisees  and 
rabbis  considered  it  their  duty  to  interpose  such  obstacles  as  the  people  would 
permit  to  a  further  dissemination  of  the  doctrines  of  salvation  through  regen- 
eration. They  regarded  Jesus  as  a  good  man,  but  not  as  God  :  and  though  He 
might  have  the  power  to  do  wonders  and  to  teach  with  a  wisdom  not  found 
among  any  of  their  own  sect,  this  superior  qualification  only  served  to  increase 
their  hostility  and  to  make  them  rabid  enemies  and  to  institute  a  persecution  of 
Him  which  did  not  cease  until  they  precipitated  the  tragedy  on  Golgotha. 

An  Invalid  Shoulders  liis  flattress. 

Jesus  had  no  doubt  noted  the  presence  of  many  Pharisees  and  rabbis  among 
the  crowds  that  were  now  besieging  Him,  and  with  omniscient  wisdom  He  must 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


259 


Kuril  Sur/a|^H|r|:\"^  ,         '^'' ZZ  *"'*""' 


26o  FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONE. 

have  foreseen  the  fierce  attitude  they  would  assume  and  the  open  hostility  that 
would  terminate  with  His  death.  But  if  He  did,  this  foreshadowed  doom  could 
not  change  His  purpose,  any  more  than  curses  of  men  can  chain  a  thunderbolt, 
or  the  wrath  of  the  sinful  can  dim  the  lustre  of  the  sun. 

When,  therefore,  the  crowds  pressed  about  the  door  of  His  lodging  place,  in 
response  to  their  desires  Jesus  preached  to  them,  probably  from  an  upper  window, 
making  His  discourse  as  fiery  with  condemnation  of  the  base  hypocrisies  of  the 
ruling  classes  as  He  had  done  before. 

While  Jesus  was  thus  preaching,  four  men  were  seen  on  the  outer  boundary  * 
of  that  immense  audience,  carrying  a  palsied  patient  on  a  pallet  and  trying  to 
make  a  way  through  the  throng  to  the  house  ;  but  with  all  their  efforts  the  multi- 
tude stood  so  thickly  massed  that  an  opening  could  not  be  made.  Seeing  the 
futility  of  the  attempt  to  force  a  way  through  the  crowd,  the  four  carried  their 
charge  around  to  the  rear  of  the  house  and  by  means  of  a  ladder  ascended  to  the 
top.  Nearly  all  dwellings  in  Palestine  have  a  flat  roof,  to  which  the  occupants 
repair  after  sunset  in  the  heated  season  for  fresh  air,  and  where  they  sit  until  long 
hours  in  the  night  enjoying  the  cool  breezes.  These  roofs,  especially  those  of  the 
cheaper  houses,  are  made  of  alternate  layers  of  earth  and  straw,  pressed  down  sa 
compactly  as  to  shed  rain  ;  but  they  need  frequent  repairing  and  are  easily 
removed.  The  four  men,  after  reaching  the  housetop  with  their  helpless  charge, 
set  immediately  to  work  making  an  opening  in  the  roof,  and  succeeding  in  this- 
they  procured  ropes  which  they  attached  to  the  bed,  by  which  the  poor  palsied 
sufferer  was  lowered  to  the  floor  where  Christ  stood.  What  matchless  hope  ;  what 
persistent  faith  ;  what  greatness  of  belief  !  He  had  certainly  heard  how  Jesus  had 
healed  the  leper,  and  though  taught  to  believe  that  palsy  was  also  a  type  of  sin, 
the  victim  now  felt  that  divine  mercy  was  above  sin,  and  therefore  above  the  limi- 
tations of  the  law  against  uncleanness.  And  with  this  thought,  the  sufferer's. 
hopes  are  inspired  until  he  insists  on  being  taken  into  the  presence  of  the  Divine 
Physician.  Jesus  saw  the  great  faith  of  the  helpless  man,  and  as  a  reward  for  his 
persistence,  the  Holy  Healer  turned  from  the  great  audience  for  a  moment  to  speak 
health  to  the  afflicted  one,  saying,  "  Son,  be  of  good  cheer  ;  thy  sins  be  forgiven 
thee."  Whether  the  sufferer  were  a  lad,  or  a  man  ;  whether  the  salutation  indicates- 
the  youthfulness  of  the  patient,  or  was  a  term  of  endearment ;  or  implies  an 
early  state  in  the  new  birth  of  regeneration,  is  not  material,  since  the  final  result 
bore  triumphant  testimony  to  the  power  of  Jesus. 

There  were  many  Pharisees  and  rabbis  within  the  sound  q{  Christ's  voice, 
who,  finding  an  opportunity  to  criticise,  now  began  to  condemn  Him  for  assuming 
the  prerogatives  of  Jehovah  ;  but  they  were  afraid  to  openly  make  their  accusa- 
tions before  the  crowd  that  were  witnesses  of  the  noble  and  Godly  deeds  done. 
In  their  hearts  therefore  they  said  :  ' '  Who  is  this  man  that  He  assumes  the  power^ 


FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


261 


■which  God  alone  has,  to  forgive  sin  !  Is  He  not  a  blasphemer  ?  Is  He  not  there- 
fore worthy  to  be  stoned  to  death  ? ' '  But  though  these  words  of  condemnation 
were  not  uttered,  Jesus  felt  them,  for  lips  could  make  no  revelation  to  Him,  so 
He  turns  upon  the  fault-finders  and  says  to  them  :  ' '  Wherefore  think  ye  evil  in 
your  hearts,  whether  is  it  easier  to  say  to  the  sick  of  the  palsy,  *  Thy  sins  be  for- 
given thee,'  or  to  say,  '  Arise,  arid  rake  up  thy  bed  and  walk?  '  But  that  ye  may 
know  that  the  Son  of  Man  hath  power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins  (He  said  to  the  sick 
of  the  palsy) ,  I  say  unto  thee,  *  Arise,  and  take  up  thy  bed,  and  go  thy  way  unto 
thine  house.'  And  immediately  he  arose,  took  up  the  bed  whereon  he  lay,  and 
went  forth  before  them  all,  and  departed  to  his  own  house,  glorifying  God." 

What  a  confounding  of  the  blasphemers,  what  a  rebuke  to  their  vain  pre- 
tendings,  their  mockery  of  righteousness,  their  bigoted  intolerance.  Seeing  such 
a  manifestation  of  divine  power  pouring  out  its  gracious  influence  from  a  fountain 
of  infinite  mercy,  of  compassion,  of  love,  it  would  appear  that  human  nature  could 
not  be  so  base  as  to  reject  the  evidence.  But  greed,  avarice,  pride  of' self,  ambi- 
tion, change  the  currents  of  a  natural  benevolence  until  it  wastes  itself;  then 
Satan  supplies  the  reservoir  thus  emptied  by  a  pouring  in  of  hellish  distillments 
that  drown  the  soul.  And  so  it  was  with  the  Pharisees  and  rabbis ;  to  have 
accepted  Christ,  or  acknowledge  His  authority  from  God,  would  have  been  to 
surretider  their  own  power,  to  have  renounced  their  own  ambitions,  to  have  con- 
demned themselves  as  hypocrites  before  the  people.  Instead,  therefore,  they  set 
about  concocting  plans  to  circumvent  Christ  by  bringing  Him  into  disrepute  as  a 
dangerous  teacher,  who  was  offending  against  the  law  and  violating  immemorial 
custom,  and  denouncing  the  faiths  and  beliefs  of  the  nation.  That  they  finally 
succeeded  in  their  impious  designs  is  the  one  great  and  everlasting  reproach,  the 
stain  and  stigma  most  foul  and  ineffaceable,  the  iniquity  and  atrocity  most  horrible, 
of  which  humanity  stands  condemned. 


'4j4e.- 


CHAPTER  XV. 

CALLED   FROM    THE   CUSTOM   HOUSE. 

CAPERNAUM,  as  already  described,  was  a  city  of  great  commercial 
importance,  having  risen  to  a  position  of  first  rank  in  Galilee  by  reason 
of  the  advantages  of  its  location.  Being  situated  on  the  boundary 
of  the  two  tetrarchies  of  Antipas  and  Philip,  and  on  the  commercial 
highway  between  Damascus,  of  Coele-Syria,  and  Ptolemais,  or  St.  Jean  d'Acre, 
on  the  Phcenician  coast,  the  city  was  made  a  seat  of  customs,  or  port  of  entr>'. 
Here  duties  were  levied  upon  all  goods  entering  either  way,  and  the  commerce 
was  so  considerable  that  the  number  of  customs  oflScers,  called  publicans,  must  have 
been  a  dozen,  or  even  more.  The  term  publican,  however,  was  applied  to  tax 
and  toll-gatherers  generally,  from  the  ofl&ce  of  collecting  very  small  bridge-tolls  to 
the  treasuryship  of  districts.  But  the  calling  was,  in  all  its  grades,  regarded  as 
one  of  reproach,  especially  among  the  Jews,  who  considered  publicans  as  the 
chiefs  of  sinners.  They  were  looked  upon,  and  not  without  cause,  as  a  set  of 
rapacious  plunderers,  if  not  as  criminals  of  a  yet  baser  nature,  and  any  Jew  who 
accepted  the  office  was  at  once  excommunicated  and  his  family  were  held  in  dis- 
grace. Nevertheless,  bad  as  was  the  general  character  of  publicans,  there  were 
some  who,  despite  the  bitter  prejudices  against  them,  might  be  considered  as 
honorable  men  ;  it  is  not  only  thieves  that  make  up  the  population  of  jails,  for 
innocence  often  falls  into  company  with  the  vicious. 

In  all  Galilee  there  was  no  one  who  had  not  heard  of,  if  they  had  not  seen, 
the  works  of  Jesus ;  and  in  Capernaum  every  person  must  have  now  become 
familiar  alike  with  His  teachings,  His  miracles,  and  His  fame.  If  great  men 
came  up  from  Jerusalem,  and  remote  parts  of  Judah,  and  from  Northern  Decapolis, 
to  hear  Christ  preach,  it  is  quite  impossible  to  believe  that  there  was  any  civil 
officer  in  the  city  where  the  greater  number  of  His  miracles  were  performed  that 
kept  aloof,  in  ignorance  of  the  wondrous  Man  whose  fame  had  spread  over  all 
Palestine,  Among  His  audience  must  therefore  have  been  many  publicans,  and 
all  the  customs  officers,  whose  duties  brought  them  in  daily  contact  with  foreigners 
as  well  as  with  their  own  people,  which  gave  them  better  opportunity  to  learn 
the  effect  of  Christ's  teachings,  and  the  extent  of  His  influence.  Were  not  the 
publicans,  hated  as  they  were,  dishonest  as  they  were,  ostracised  as  they  were, 
quite  as  likely,  and  more  likely,  to  be  convicted  under  the  preaching  and  won- 
drous works  of  Jesus,  as  many  others  who  helped  to  make  up  the  great  crowds 
that  flocked  about  Him  ?    They  had  every  reason  to  accept  Him  ;  they  must  have 

(262) 


JT^VA^T/f'^^^ 


?5c:k?' 


■ .  3 


■  \  I  z 


.t:?^'^ 


(263) 


264  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

been  impressed  by  His  indifference  to  social  distinctions  and  proscriptions  ;  they 
must  have  been  drawn  to  Him  by  His  sympathy  for  all  unfortunates.  And  by  His 
refusal  to  hold  an  entire  caste  under  condemnation  because  of  the  sins  of  a  few. 
And  lastly,  those  who  felt  the  injustice  of  Jewish  prejudice,  and  who,  despite  the 
accusations  against  them,  were  yet  leading  honest  lives,  must  have  rejoiced  at  His 
teachings,  and  by  His  works  believed  on  Him  as  the  promised  Messiah. 

Some  of  these  publicans,  and  certainly  one  of  them,  had  become  thus  impressed 
and  had  probably  given  some  intimation,  either  to  Christ  or  the  four  disciples,  of 
his  sincere  belief,  for  the  Apostles  tell  us  that,  "  As  He  [Jesus]  passed  by  He  saw 
a  man  named  Matthew,  also  called  Levi,  the  son  of  Alpheus,  a  publican,  sitting 
at  the  receipt  of  customs,  and  said  unto  him,  '  Follow  Me.'  And  he  left  all,  rose 
up,  and  followed  Him." 

Levi  (Matthew)  as  the  name  implies,  was  of  the  priestly  tribe,  and  his 
acceptance  of  the  post  of  collector  was  therefore  considered  by  the  Jews  as  an 
offence  not  only  against  good  morals,  but  an  odium  on  his  birthright,  and  the  con- 
tempt in  which  he  was  held  was  accordingly  the  more  harsh  and  bitter.  His  call 
by  Jesus  was  therefore  a  mark  of  Christ's  disfavor  of  national  prejudices  and  it 
was  made  to  serve  as  a  proof  that  all  social  conditions  were  upon  the  same  plane, 
the  highest  having  no  pre-eminence  above  the  lowest,  in  the  sight  of  God,  who 
requires  only  that  men  shall  renounce  sin,  ask  with  sincerity  of  heart  the  Divine 
forgiveness,  and  live  in  righteousness  before  the  higher,  but  more  liberal  than  the 
Jewish,  laws  which  Jesus  came  to  establish. 

Feast  at  the  House  of  Matthew. 

That  Matthew  felt  himself  supremely  honored  by  the  call  of  our  Lord,  and 
that  in  elation  of  spirit  he  desired  to  give  some  evidence  of  his  appreciation  of  his 
exaltation  to  so  glorious  a  dignity,  we  could  believe  even  if  there  were  no  record 
of  the  means  used  to  give  an  outward  expression  of  his  joy.  But  the  giving  of  a 
feast  to  his  Master,  in  celebration  of  the  honor  bestowed  by  his  elevation  to  disci- 
pi  eship,  would  excite  our  surprise  but  for  the  admirable  lesson  which  the  act 
served  to  impart.  Christ  was  now  not  only  teaching  by  word,  but  by  example  ; 
not  only  setting  aside  the  old,  but  substituting  a  new  order  ;  not  only  decrying 
the  prejudices  and  false  principles  of  the  Jews,  but  presenting  objective  forms  of 
His  aversion  to  all  manner  of  injustice,  however  fortified  by  long  observance.  It 
was  an  act  intended  no  doubt  as  a  rebuke  to  the  self-righteousness  of  the  Phari- 
sees, scribes  and  rabbis,  whose  teacniags  were  in  direct  contrast  with  those  of 
Christ,  and  a  prefigurement  of  that  universal  brotherhood  which  was  to  come 
when  true  righteousness  should  prevail. 

When  the  Pharisees  saw  Jesus  at  the  feast  which  Matthew  had  prepared,  and 
how  He  fellowshiped  with  all  publicans  who  were  present,  they  of  course  opened 


CHRIST   HKALING    ALL,   MANNER    Ol-    DISHASES. 


(265) 


266  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

their  mouths  with  l)itter  criticisms,  and  sought  even  to  antagonize  the  followers  of 
Jesus  with  those  who  had  been  baptized  by  John.  The  answer  which  Christ  made 
to  these  carpers,  whose  religion  was  worn  on  the  sleeve  rather  than  in  the  heart ; 
whose  righteousness  was  in  ceremonials  rather  than  in  the  performance  of  good 
deeds  ;  whose  sympathies  were  with  the  favored  rather  than  with  the  unfortunate, 
while  gentle,  was  3'et  such  a  caustic  reproach  that  their  pride  and  haughtiness 
withered  under  it.  Said  He,  "  They  that  are  whole  need  not  a  physician,  but 
they,  that  are  sick  ;  but  go  ye  and  learn  what  that  meaneth  ;  I  will  have  mercy, 
and  not  sacrifice  ;  for  I  am  not  come  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repent- 
ance." Or,  paraphrased  in  our  modern  tongue,  "  A  phj^sician  does  not  prescribe 
for  the  well,  but  for  those  who  are  sick  :  as  the  Son  of  God  I  came  into  the  world 
to  prevail  with  sinners,  the  spiritually  sick,  to  mingle  with  them,  to  teach  them 
the  way  of  salvation,  to  save  them.  I  have  not  come  to  spend  the  precious  time  of 
my  self-exile  in  preaching  to  the  righteous,  or  to  those  who  are  so  set  in  their  own 
pride  of  vain  self-righteousness  that  they  despise  all  others.  Search  the  prophecies 
and  teachings  of  Hosea,  vi.  6  :  '  For  I  desire  mercy  and  not  sacrifices  ;  and  tne 
knowledge  of  God  more  than  burnt  offerings. '  Prescribed  forms  are  mockeries 
except  they  be  accompanied  by  holy  acts  ;  ostentation,  whether  in  actions  or  in 
worship,  is  repugnant  to  the  spirit  of  true  righteousness,  for  God  regards  only  the 
merciful,  the  compassionate,  the  charitable,  and  these  He  accepts  whether  their 
offerings  be  made  on  altars  before  men,  or  by  prayer  in  the  retirement  of  one's 
closet,  or  wherever  the  heart  is  lifted  up  in  homage  to  God." 

The  Apostles  Chosen  and  the  Church  of  Christ  Founded. 

How  long  Jesus  remained  preaching  and  healing  in  Capernaum,  on  this  visit, 
we  are  not  given  to  know  ;  nor  is  the  sequence  of  His  acts  revealed  by  the  Gospel 
writers.  We  can  only  conjecture,  and  group  the  incidents  of  His  ministry  in  the 
order  which  appears  to  us  as  they  most  likely  occurred.  But  the  arrangement  is 
arbitrary,  rather  than  the  result  of  conclusions  founded  upon  specific  information  ; 
fortunately,  it  is  of  small  importance  to  know  positively  the  exact  succession^ 
unless  the  knowledge  would  afford  us  the  means  of  determining  the  duration  of 
His  ministry,  and  the  unfolding,  by  revelation,  of  His  Messianic  powers. 

After  the  conflict  between  Jesus  and  the  Pharisees,  over  the  call  of  a  publican 
to  fellowship,  it  is  probable  that  events  had  so  shaped  themselves — the  opposition, 
ay,  hostility,  of  the  rabbinical  sect  had  become  so  pronounced,  while  the  multi- 
tudes that  followed  Him  and  the  numbers  who  accepted  Him,  had  grown  so  great 
— that  Jesus  considered  the  time  had  now  come  for  the  establishment  of  His 
Church.  Heretofore  His  teachings  had  involved  an  exposure  of  the  hypocrisy  of 
the  Pharisaic  sect,  while  inciting  the  people  to  a  purer  and  holier  conception  of 
God's  mercy,  and  the  essential  conditions  of  salvation.      He  had  therefore  drawn 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE.  267 

many  away  from  the  old  conservatism,  dogmatism,  and  ritualism  of  the  ruling 
priesthood,  but  had  not  yet  provided  means  for  the  blending  together  in  one  com- 
mon and  perpetual  union  of  His  followers.  Around  Him  they  had  gathered  and 
looked  to  Him  for  direction  ;  but  He  could  not  be  always  with  them,  and  appoint- 
ments nmst  therefore  be  made  against  the  day  when  new  leadership  would  be 
necessary.  Besides,  the  number  who  sought  His  instruction  and  divine  aid  had 
become  so  great  that  He  could  not  minister  to  them  all,  while  other  fields  needed 
sowers  and  reapers.  As  an  army  is  made  up  of  divisions  under  sub-ofiicers,  with 
only  one  supreme  directing  head,  so  Jesus  found  it  necessary  to  commission  Apos- 
tles to  aid  Him  in  preaching  the  gospel  to  all  people,  and  to  give  them  power  and 
authority,  in  His  name,  to  perform  like  wonders. 

Trying  Conditions  of  Apostleship. 

He  had  no  doubt  made  a  selection  of  the  twelve,  who  were  to  serve  as  jevan- 
gelists  in  bringing  the  world  to  repentance,  some  time  before  their  actual  ordina- 
tion, but  He  had  not  found  it  advisable  to  name  them  until  the  auspicious  occasion 
arrived  to  make  their  public  designation  most  impressive.  The  qualifications  for 
apostleship  were  severely  self-sacrificing,  requiring  a  devotion  so  great  as  made 
every  consideration  of  self,  beyond  the  final  reward,  subordinate  to  the  Divine 
purpose  of  converting  sinners.  Those  who  accepted  the  holy  office  had  not  only 
to  renounce  their  worldly  pursuits  and  possessions,  but  also  to  undergo  hardships 
from  which  any  heart  unsustained  by  Divine  grace  might  well  shrink.  There  was 
not  only  the  rugged  path  to  tread,  the  aching  feet  and  tired  body,  but  insults  and 
contumely  of  bigoted  Pharisaism  to  bear,  and  lastly  punishments  and  martyrdom 
to  suffer.  What  noble  souls,  what  devoted  hearts,  what  infinite  faith  and  love,  to 
surrender  the  comforts  and  endure  the  afflictions  ;  to  choose  the  condemnation  of 
men  rather  than  court  their  applause  ;  to  renounce  the  world  rather  than  seek  its 
favor  ;  to  wed  themselves  to  perpetual  poverty  rather  than  stand  in  the  high 
esteem  of  the  rich  ;  and,  best  of  all,  to  sacrifice  all,  that  they  might  save  sinners, 
by  directing  them  in  the  way  of  salvation,  and  for  no  reward  save  the  promise  of 
a  share  in  that  kingdom  to  which  they  should  become  heirs  thereafter. 

The  Prayer  on  Mount  Hattin. 

Before  every  great  act  Christ  committed  Himself  to  prayer.  Not,  however, 
in  the  synagogue,  to  make  public  His  petitions,  nor  among  the  crowds  that 
besieged  Him,  that  He  might  imitate  the  ostentatious  righteousness  of  the  rabbis; 
nor  in  the  streets,  Lnat  He  might  make  a  display  of  His  devotion  like  the  Phari- 
sees. But  He  sought  the  deep  seclusion  of  the  wilderness,  or  the  lonely 
retirement  of  tlie  mountain,  where  creation  holds  uninterrupted  communion  with 
God  ;  where  howling  storm,  whispering  wind,  and  rustling  tree-top  chant  the 
doxologies  of  nature. 


268  FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

After  prajang  to  His  Father  all  the  night,  when  the  flush  of  morning  began 
to  flame  the  surrounding  hills  and  peep  down  into  the  sombre  valleys,  Jesus 
descended  from  His  retreat,  which  is  supposed  to  have  been  Mount  Hattin,  and 
met  the  crowd  who  were  awaiting  His  coming.  But  as  He  drew  near  the 
multitude  He  beckoned  to  some  of  His  followers,  who  may  have  been  already 
made  acquainted  with  His  purpose,  and  upon  twelve  He  conferred  the  exalted 
honor  of  apostleship,  "  And  when  it  was  day,  He  called  unto  Him  His  disciples  , 
and  they  came  unto  Him,  and  of  them  He  chose  twelve,  whom  also  He  named 
apostles  ;  and  He  ordained  them  that  they  should  be  with  Him,  and  that  He 
might  send  them  forth  to  preach,  and  to  have  power  to  heal  sickness  and  to  cast 
out  devils. ' ' 

There  may  have  been  many  applicants  for  the  great  honor  of  discipleship, 
but  they  were  rejected  as  Christ  rejected  the  overture  of  the  scribe  who,  seeking 
Him,^aid  :  "  Master,  I  will  follow  Thee  whithersoever  Thou  goest."  Jesus  saw 
that  this  man,  a  rabbi,  schooled  as  he  was  in  the  indulgences  of  the  priesthood, 
was  unfitted  for  the  severities  which  His  apostles  must  endure,  and  that  undei 
such  hardships  his  faith  would  surrender  to  the  weaknesses  of  the  flesh  ;  so  Christ 
replied,  "  The  foxes  have  holes,  and  the  birds  of  the  air  have  nests  ;  but  the  Son 
of  Man  hath  not  where  to  lay  His  head." 

Another  candidate  for  the  honor  of  apostleship  besought  the  Lord  to  first 
give  him  permission  to  bury  his  father,  after  which  he  would  become  a  devout 
follower,  but  Jesus  answered,  "  Follow  Me  ;  let  the  dead  bury  their  dead."  The 
order  therefore  was  to  let  no  earthly  consideration  intervene  to  prevent  an 
immediate  acceptance  of  the  call.  For  the  dead,  God  giveth  a  care,  but  the 
sinners  are  like  scattered  sheep  which,  if  the  shepherd  does  not  speedily  find  and 
bring  together,  some  wander  off"  so  far  that  they  are  forever  lost. 

So  we  are  made  to  understand  by  these  answers  which  Christ  made  to  two 
applicants  for  the  honor  of  appointment  as  evangelists  in  His  name,  that  those 
whom  He  selected  were  distinguished  among  their  fellows  as  men  possessing  the 
most  courageous  faith  ;  as  followers  who  thoroughly  appreciated  the  hardships 
which  they  would  have  to  undergo  ;  as  apostles  who  felt  that  no  earthly  glory  can  be 
greater  than  that  which  crowns  the  brow  of  mercy,  and  no  joy  so  infinite  as  that 
which  proceeds  from  devotion  to  God  and  deliverance  from  sin  of  their  fellow-men. 

The  manner  of  selection,  or  the  ceremony  of  consecration,  if  any  was  per- 
formed, is  not  described  by  the  Gospel  writers.  As  Christ  had  nothing  but 
rebukes  for  the  ritualism  of  the  Jews,  it  is  hardly  possible"  that  the  act  of 
ordination  was  accompanied  by  any  ceremonies,  but  that  the  appointment  was 
made,  as  both  Mark  and  Euke  relate,  by  simply  choosing,  and  that  the  apostles 
being  called  to  be  ever  with  Him,  they  were  afterwards  instructed  in  their  duties. 
Those  who  were  thus  summoned  included  the  five  who  were  first  drawn  to  Jesus  ; 


(269> 


270  FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

Simon  Peter  and  Andrew  ;  John  and  James,  sons  of  Zebedee  ;  Philip,  Nathanad 
or  Bartholomew,  Matthew,  James  the  Eess,  Jude,  also  called  Tha^deus,  Thomas, 
or  Didymus  the  twin,  Judas,  of  Kerioth,  and  Simon  the  Zealot. 

Peter  and  Andrew  were  partners  of  John  and  James  in  the  occupation  ol 
fishermen,  and  the  four  had  been  among  the  first  disciples  of  the  Baptist,  and 
therefore  they  were  better  prepared  to  enter  at  once  upon  the  duties  to  wliich  they 
had  now  been  called. 

Philip  was  also  from  the  city  of  Bethsaida,  from  whence  came  John  and 
James,  and  was  probably  a  disciple  of  the  Baptist,  and  hence  was  very  early 
impressed  with  faith  in  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus. 

Nathanael,  or  Bartholomew,  the  son  of  Tholmai,  was  from  Cana,  and  as 
already  described,  he  may  be  reckoned  as  the  fifth  disciple. 

James  the  Less  is  supposed  to  have  been  a  brother  of  Jesus,  as  was  also 
Jude,  but  whether  they  were  brothers  or  cousins  of  Christ  is  a  question  that 
will  always  remain  in  dispute,  for  by  comparing  the  four  Gospels  and  Acts  i^ 
they  appear  both  as  brothers  and  cousins. 

Matthew,  having  been  a  receiver  of  customs,  was  familiar  with  clerical 
duties  and  probably  had  a  liberal  education.  His  gospel  is  the  oldest,  and  the 
only  one  of  the  four  that  was  written  in  Syro-Chaldaic,  or  old  Hebrew,  being 
apparently  intended  especially  for  the  Jews,  to  whom  his  appeals  appear  more 
explicitly  to  be  directed. 

Thomas  is  called  Didymus  by  John,  the  word  meaning  a  twin,  from  which 
tradition  represents  him  as  a  twin  brother  of  Jesus  ;  but  if  we  accept  this  belief, 
Thomas  becomes  confounded  with  Jude.  More  reliable  commentators  contend 
that  he  was  born  in  Antioch,  and  generally  regard  him  as  a  man  of  some 
learning,  who  after  the  death  of  Christ  became  a  missionary  in  the  far  east,  and 
suffered  martyrdom  at  Edessa,  in  Northern  Mesopotamia. 

Simon  Zelotes  is  also  made  to  appear  as  a  brother  to  Jesus,  but  without  any 
proper  reason.  He  is  also  called  Simon  the  Canaanite,  the  term  Zelotes  being 
applied  to  distinguish  his  fierce  zealousy  for  the  Mosaic  ritual,  and  his  adhesion  to 
the  faction  known  as  Zealots.  He  was  a  Galilean,  but  the  place  of  his  birth  or 
residence  is  not  given. 

Judas  Iscariot  was  from  Kerioth,  or  Kartha,  of  Galilee.  He  was  an  early 
follower  of  the  Baptist,  and  though  there  seems  to  have  been  some  distrust  of 
his  sincerity,  yet  he  was  made  treasurer  of  the  twelve  and  entrusted  with  all 
contributions  made  to  the  apostles,  and  the  distribution  ot  the.  same  among  the 
poor.  His  character  is  hard  to  define,  but  will  be  treated  ot  hereafter  in  connec- 
tion with  the  betrayal  of  His  Master. 

And  these  are  the  twelve  whom  Jesus  chose  from  among  the  great  num- 
ber (let  us  believe)   of    applicants    for    His   favor.       Not  rich  men,   nor  rabbis 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  271 

distinguished  for  scholarship  and  influence  ;  nor  members  of  the  royal  household 
whose  power  might  avail  so  fliuch.  Not  these  ;  but  men  chosen  rather  for  their 
obscurity  in  the  walks  of  life  than  their  prominence  among  men.  For  their 
trustfulness,  their  earnestness,  and  their  unquenchable  faith  born  of  conviction  ; 
men  who  would  make  the  surest  foundation  pillars  for  supporting  a  new  religion 
founded  upon  the  holiest  attributes  of  human  nature  ;  a  democracy  of  fellowship, 
a  freedom  of  conscience,  a  republic  in  which  all  are  sovereigns  under  one  law, 
"  Love  ye  one  another." 

Peter  the  Hermit  was  called  from  the  monastery  to  become  the  apostle  of  the 
Crusade  ;  Cincinnatus  called  from  the  field  to  save  the  Roman  consul  and  his 
anny,  and  thus  to  save  Rome  ;  Joan  of  Arc  called  from  her  milking  and  sheep- 
tending  to  lead  the  armies  of  France  ;  John  the  Baptist  called  from  the  wilderness 
to  prepare  the  way  of  the  Lord — notable  examples  in  the  world's  historj^  of  the 
power  that  lies  quiescent  among  the  lowly  and  obscure  until  called  into  action  by 
God.  And  so  Jesus,  knowing  the  hearts  and  capacities  of  all  men,  called  His 
apostles  from  among  the  obscure  ;  from  among  fishermen,  toll-collectors,  laborers  ; 
men  who  perhaps  were  low  in  the  esteem  of  the  rich  and  vainglorious,  yet  nobler 
for  their  poor  social  station,  because  pride  had  not  been  enthroned  in  their  hearts, 
and  because  the  doors  of  their  souls  stood  open  to  receive  the  Bridegroom  married 
to  the  world  of  suffering  and  sin. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE    BLESSEDS    OF    MOUNT    HATTIN. 

y^  "^1  EVEN  miles  west  of  Tiberias,  rising  out  of  a  plain  of  great  fertility^ 
^^^^^L  are  two  inconsiderable  elevations,  one  about  sixty  and  the  other  some 
|l  j      forty  feet  above  the  lake  level,  which  have  long  borne  the  local  name 

•/^^— ^.  of  "  Horns  of  Hattin."  In  this  locality,  beyond  the  gorge  of  Mag- 
dala,  are  the  cliffs  of  Arbela,  to  which  the  Zealots  fled  when  pursued  by  Herod, 
and  in  the  caves  of  which  they  were  so  mercilessly  slaughtered.  From  the  peaks 
of  Hattin,  which  derive  their  name  from  a  village  at  the  base,  a  magnificent  view 
of  a  wide  range  of  country  may  be  had,  bordered  on  the  east  by  a  blue  expanse  of 
•water  marking  the  sea  of  Galilee.  It  is  a  retired  district  and  withal  so  beautiful 
that  tradition,  supported  by  appearances,  marks  one  of  the  hills  as  the  site  where 
Jesus  ordained  His  Apostles  and  delivered  to  them  His  instructions  preparatory  to 
sending  them  out  to  preach  the  gospel  which  He  there  declared.  Sunlight  could 
do  no  more  than  it  did  for  that  mountain  on  the  day  our  horses  struggled  to  the 
top  of  it,  and  neither  time  nor  eternity  can  dim  that  landscape  in  our  memories. 
Standing  on  its  highest  peak  we  read  from  our  Bible,  "  The  Beatitudes." 

From  Matthew's  account  it  appears  that  upon  descending  from  the  mountain, 
on  the  morning  following  a  night  spent  in  prayer,  Jesus  saw  a  great  multitude 
assembled  on  the  plain  below  awaiting  His  coming  ;  whereupon,  not  being  willing 
yet  to  discourse  to  them.  He  returned  to  the  peak,  followed  by  His  disciples,  to 
whom  He  then  delivered  his  sublime  sermon  on  the  requirements  of  the  new 
gospel  dispensation. 

' '  And  seeing  the  multitude.  He  went  up  into  a  mountain  ;  and  when  He 
was  set.  His  disciples  came  unto  Him,  and  He  opened  His  mouth  and  taught 
them,"  etc. 

Luke's  record  of  the  events  leading  up  to  the  sermon  of  blessings  differs 
materially  from  that  of  Matthew's,  to  such  an  extent  that  it  is  believed  by  many 
Jesus  delivered  two  sermons  of  substantially  the  same  import,  the  first  to  His  dis- 
ciples on  the  mountain,  and  then  returning  to  the  multitude  below  He  healed  the 
sick  that  had  been  brought,  and  followed  these  deeds  of  mercy  with  a  sublime 
discourse  on  the  duties  which  we  owe  to  one  another,  and  the  declaration  of  a  new 
covenant  to  supersede  the  old  theocratic  form  which  recognized  force  and  ritual 
rather  than  moral  obligations. 

After  the  appointment  of  His  disciples,  lyuke  says  :  "  And  He  came  down 
with  them  and  stood  in  the  plain,  and  the  company  of  His  disciples,  and  a  great 

(272) 


FROM    MANGER    TO   THRONE. 


273 


multitude  of  people  out  of  all 
Judea  and  Jerusalem,  and  from 
the  sea-coast  of  Tyre  and  Sidon, 
which  came  to  hear  Him,  and  be 
healed  of  their  diseases  ;  and  they 
that  were  vexed  with  unclean 
spirits ;  and  they  were  healed. 
And  the  whole  multitude  sought 
to  touch  Him  ;  for  there  went 
virtue  out    of   Him,    and  healed 

them  all. 

"And  He  lifted  up  His 
eyes  on  His  disciples,  and  said, 
Blessed,"  etc. 

If  we  regard  with  proper  care 
the  two  testimonies,  it  is  almost 


CAVES     IN     THK     CI.IKKS     OF    ARBKLA,    MKAK    THE   TRADITIONAL    SITE    W  HEKK  JESUS 

ORDAINED  HIS   DISCIPt,ES. 

apparent  that  the  seeming  discrepancies,   not  in  spirit  but   in  form  of  statement 
only,   are    the    result  of   recording  the  facts  some  time  after  their   occurrence. 
18 


274  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

Matthew  is  always  more  explicit,  probably  because  of  his  training  in  clerical  occu- 
pation, and  therefore  gives  us  a  better  report  of  the  sermon  than  Luke,  who 
probably  wrote  from  memory  sometime  afterwards.  It  may  be  also  that  Matthew 
reported  some  things  which  lyuke  failed  to  remember,  and  also  that  Luke  narrated 
portions  of  the  discourse  which  Matthew  had  forgotten,  so  that  the  two  accounts 
may  be  properly  assimilated  into  one  complete  record  without  violence  to  the 

narration. 

The  Sunburst  of  a  New  Dispensation. 

The  Mosaic  law  was  promulgated  from  peak  of  mountain  laboring  in  the 
throes  of  a  mighty  eruption,  belching  up  fire  and  smoke  until  a  pall  of  cloud 
veiled  from  wondering  eyes  below  the  face  of  God,  but  whose  awful  presence 
was  made  manifest  by  lightning  flash  and  thunderous  boom,  as  He  graved  on 
stone  His  ten  commandments. 

In  Christ  we  behold  the  second  coming,  not  to  destroy  but  to  fulfill  ; 
not  with  threatenings  of  wrath,  but  with  assurances  of  mercy  and  of  God's 
love  ;  not  to  prescribe  new  formularies  of  worship,  but  to  establish  a  church 
in  which  there  should  be  no  other  requirement  for  membership  than  love, 
whose  creed  should  be  love,  whose  precepts  and  practices  and  ambitions  should 
be  love. 

To  give  form  to  His  new  covenant  with  the  world,  Jesus  instructed  His  dis- 
ciples in  the  essence  as  well  as  in  the  substance  of  the  new  dispensation,  in  which 
blessings  were  made  the  rewards  for  afflictions,  in  which  poverty  was  enrichment, 
misfortune  was  great  gain,  persecution  was  advantageous,  execrations  by  the 
sinful  was  glorification  of  the  righteous.  In  these  teachings  Jesus  not  only  con- 
travened the  old  and  thoroughly  ingrained  belief  that  all  manner  of  ill  fortune 
was  an  evidence  of  God's  displeasure,  but  declared  that  afflictions  should  rather 
be  accounted  as  blessings,  for  it  is  not  by  prosperity  but  by  tribulation  that  we 
are  brought  to  seek  God. 

And  thus  Jesus  gives  His  divine  law,  not  by  threats,  commands  or  prohibir 
tions  ;  but,  recognizing  the  leaven  of  good  that  is  in  all  persons,  He  seeKs  to 
make  that  leaven  an  active  principle  by  an  appeal  to  our  better  nature,  by  crown- 
ing the  world  with  benedictions,  and  sowing  the  earth  with  blessings,  and  filling 
all  hearts  with  beatifications.  To  His  disciples,  therefore.  He  pronounced  these 
great  beatitudes  and  rewards  : 

' '  Blessed  are  they  that  mourn  ;  for  they  shall  be  comforted. 

"  Blessed  are  the  meek  ;  for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth.    • 

' '  Blessed  are  they  which  do  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness  ;  for  they 
shall  be  filled. 

"  Blessed  are  the  merciful  ;  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy. 

"  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart ;  for  they  shall  see  God. 


FROM  MANGER  TO  THRONE. 


275 


i* 


"  Blessed  are  the  peace-makers  ;  for  they  shall  be  called  the  children  of  God. 

"  Blessed  are  they  which  are  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake;    for  theirs 
is  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

"  Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall  revile  you,  and  persecute  you,  and  shall 
say  all  manner  of  evil 
against   you    falsely, 
for  My^sake. 

"Rejoice  and  be 
exceeding  glad  ;  for 
great  is  your  reward 
in  heaven  ;  for  so 
persecuted  they  the 
prophets  which  were 
before  3'ou." 

These  were  spe- 
cial blessings  of  the 
righteous,  the  prom- 
ises of  great  reward 
for  purity  of  heart 
and  meekness  and 
long-suffering  under 
trial.  But  though 
the  apostles  were 
filled  with  faith  they 
had  not  yet  been 
proved  in  righteous- 
ness by  bitter  ordeals 
of  reviling  and  tribu- 
lations that  were  to 
come.  He  therefore 
admonished  them,  by 
presenting  striking 
examples,  against 
faltering  in  their  al- 
legiance to  God  and 
growing  lukewarm 
in  the  ministry  to  which  they  had  been  elevated.  Said  He  to  tutin  :  "Ye  are 
the  salt  of  the  earth."  Your  mission  is  to  preserve,  and  so  long  as  you  are 
firm  and  unyielding  in  righteousness,  and  devoted  to  the  gospel  which  I  have 
now  declared,  you  will  be  the  salt  that  shall  save  men.      But  if   you   lose  your 


SKRMON   ON   TIIK    MorNP. 


276  FROM    MANGER   TO  THRONE. 

faith  so  will  you  lose  all  power  for  good  and  become  worthless  because  of  failing 
to  exercise  the  special  advantages  given  you  as  apostles. 

' '  Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world.  A  city  that  is  set  on  a  hill  cannot  be  hid. ' ' 
Let- your  understanding  and  teachings  enlighten  all  men  ;  let  your  good  deeds, 
your  devotion  to  God,  your  sympathy  for  the  sinful,  keep  you  ever  enthusiastic  in 
the  work  of  bringing  souls  to  repentance.  I^et  your  works  be  as  conspicuous 
before  men  as  a  city  on  a  hill-top  ;  so  merciful,  so  pious,  so  instructive,  that  mul- 
titudes will  seek  you,  will  embrace  you,  will  call  others  to  follow,  and  lastly  will 
glorify  God.  Thus  may  you  be  likened  unto  salt  that  preserves,  and  a  light 
that  illumines  every  path,  and  a  city  to  which  all  eyes  look  with  admiration 
and  delight. 

lyove  your  enemies,  bless  them  that  wrong  you,  return  kindness  for  despite- 
fulness,  practice  charity,  be  always  merciful,  judge  not  harshly  but  with  sympa- 
thy, do  not  undertake  to  discover  faults  in  others  until  you  have  purged  yourself 
of  evil,  for  men,  no  more  than  trees,  can  bring  forth  good  fruit  unless  the  virtue 
of  purity  be  in  them.  Figs  do  not  grow  on  thorn-bushes,  nor  grapes  on  brambles, 
neither  does  righteousness  proceed  from  an  impure  heart,  for  evil  begets  evil,  and 
godliness  pioduces  its  like.  Men,  again,  like  trees,  must  be  estimated  by  their 
fruits,  and  not  by  their  pretendings.  The  thriftiest  appearing  tree  may  not  flower, 
or,  if  blossoming,  may  not  yield  good  fruit ;  so  the  most  ostentatious  man,  full  of 
promises,  and  loud  protestations,  and  long  prayers,  may  be  a  hypocrite  at  heart 
and  work  no  deeds  of  either  mercy  or  charity.  Many  persons  get  credit  for 
making  generous  gifts  that  are  paid  out  of  other  people's  pockets,  but  God  sees  the 
pulse  and  promptings  of  every  man's  heart  and  will  reward  with  justice.  Offer- 
ings to  God  are  not  acceptable  as  atonements  for  sin,  as  long  taught  by  the 
Pharisees,  for  it  is  necessary  that  deep  contrition  and  sincere  repentance  be  first 
felt  before  a  sin-offering  can  be  made  that  will  procure  the  Divine  forgiveness. 
And  actual  commission  of  an  offence  against  moral  laws  is  not  more  worthy  of 
punishment,  in  the  eyes  of  God,  than  the  instigation  or  impulse  to  do  a  wrong 
which  is  only  prevented  through  fear  of  retribution,  for  the  full  magnitude  of 
sin  is  in  the  prompting  of  an  evil  heart.  In  short,  there  is  but  one  God,  who 
regards  all,  who  loves  all,  and  who  holds  all,  whether  prince  or  peasant,  master 
or  slave,  poor  or  rich,  to  a  common  accountability,  making  the  world  a  grand 
democracy  of  man,  with  no  distinctions  save  alone  it  be  between  the  righteous  and 
the  sinful.  But  even  between  these  there  is  no  difference  in  their  worldly  pros- 
perity, for  God  bestows  His  favors  alike  upon  all,  visiting  the  unjust  with  all  the 
natural  blessings  of  rain  and  sunshine,  and  pleasure,  and  gain,  that  He  gives 
to  the  just  and  virtuous ;  but  in  the  last  day,  when  concerns  of  this  life  are 
yielded  up,  the  good  shall  triumph  over  the  wicked  by  rewards  given  them  that 
shall  be  withheld  from  the  undeserving. 


FROM    MANGER   TO    THRONK 


277 


And  Christ  condemned  the  long 
and  empty  prayers  of  the  Pharisees, 
who  made  public  exhibitions  of  their 
devotions  by  repairing  many  times 
each  day  to  the  synagogues,  or  to 
prominent  street  corners  where  their 
broad  phylacteries  would  attract  the 
attention  of  passers  by,  and  there 
offered  up  petitions  in  loud  and  long 
protracted  voices  in  order  that  they 
might  gain  credit  for  being  ex- 
tremely righteous.  This  was  not 
only  hypocrisy,  but  irreverence  and 
vulgarity ;  an  offence  against  true 
piety,  an  insult  to  God.  Public  prayer 
was  not  forbidden,  for  Jesus  Himself 
participated  in  devotions  before  con- 
gregations, but  ostentation  and  vain- 
glorying,  and  self- righteousness 
which  distinguished  Pharisaic  invo- 
cations, were  reprobated.  Prayer  is 
not  acceptable  to  God  except  it  be  the 
expression  of  the  heart's  holy  de- 
sires, and  nowhere  can  the  heart  so 
well  seek  God 
as  in  private. 
Therefore  Jesus 
said  to  His  dis- 
ciples, "  Be  not 
ye  therefore  like 
unto  them  ;  for 
your  Father 
knoweth  what 
things  ye  have 
need  of  before 
ye  ask  Him. 
After  this  man 
ner  therefoi  < 


Sn!:.>fl  A' 


MdDHS   OK    I'UIU.IC    PRAVF.R    IN    KASTKRN    COUNTRIES. 


pray  ye : 

"Our  Father  which  art  in   heaven,  Hallowed  be  Thy  name.  Thy  kingdom 


278  FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONK. 

come,  Thy  will  be  done  in  earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven.  Give  us  this  day  our  daily 
bread.  And  forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we  forgive  our  debtors.  And  lead  us  not 
into  temptation,  but  deliver  us  from  evil :  For  Thine  is  the  kingdom,  and  the 
power,  and  the  glory,  forever.  Amen." 

No  man  before  or  since  ever  set  up  so  short  a  prayer  as  a  formula  embracing 
all  that  we  have  need  to  ask  of  God.  There  is  no  request  for  the  Lord  to  prosper 
us,  to  give  us  health,  to  defend  us  against  our  enemies,  to  help  us  in  worldly 
matters,  to  give  us  wisdom,  to  bless  our  ambitions  and  undertakings.  None  of 
these  are  asked  for,  because  ' '  Your  Father  knoweth  what  things  ye  have  need 
of  before  you  ask  Him."  This  form  was  prescribed  by  Jesus  as  the  petition 
which  ought  ever  to  abide  in  our  hearts,  a  formulary  expressive  of  our  desires 
to  approach  nearer  the  example  of  true  righteousness,  an  orison  that  ought  to 
proceed  from  our  hearts  continually,  for  by  it  we  express  our  longing  for  more 
perfect  grace,  and  our  glorification  of  God. 

As  a  peroration  to  His  divinely  sublime  sermon  of  instruction  to  His 
disciples,  Jesus  added  solemn  words  of  warning  :  "Enter  in  through  the  strait 
gate,  for  narrow  is  the  way,  and  rough  is  the  path  with  self-denial  and  renounce- 
ments of  the  world's  vanities,  that  leads  to  eternal  life,  so  that  few  find  it.  But 
broad  is  the  gate  and  way,  gilded  and  bestrewn  with  worldly  pleasures  and 
allurements  to  vice,  so  that  many  enter  and  pursue  their  way  to  destruction. 
Many  will  in  the  last  day  call  upon  Me  and  say,  Lrord,  Eord,  did  we  not  own  Thy 
mighty  works,  and  confess  Thee  as  the  Messiah  ?  But  I  shall  answer,  I  know 
you  not ;  and  the  spirit  of  true  righteousness  was  not  in  you,  for  it  is  not 
sufficient  to  acknowledge  Me  as  Master,  but  to  do  the  will  of  My  Father,  who  is 
in  heaven.  Therefore  will  I  say.  Depart  from  Me,  because  ye  were  workers  of 
iniquity.     Take  warning,  for  even  some  of  you  call  Me  Lord,  Lord,  and  do  not 

the  things  which  I  say. ' '      . 

A  Warrior's  Servant  Cured. 

"  Now,  when  He  had  ended  all  His  sayings  in  the  audience  of  the  people, 
He  entered  ir^to  Capernaum." 

What  a  triumphal  procession  it  must  have  been  which  followed  Jesus  as  He 
returned  to  the  city,  and  what  a  spectacle  !  Going  before  the  multitude  must 
have  been  the  Lord  and  His  disciples,  while  behind,  strung  out  in  lengthened 
line,  were  thousands  of  handsomely-clothed  Pharisees,  and  scribes,  and  rabbis, 
walking  side  by  side,  no  doubt,  with  the  poor  and  the  ragged,  and  the  diseased. 
Some  on  donkeys,  some  on  camels,  some  on  horses,  and  the  'feeble,  paralyzed, 
deformed,  demoniacal,  carried  on  cots,  on  pallets,  or  on  the  shoulders  of  their 
strong  friends.  Nor  must  we  believe  that  Christ  gave  over  His  administration  to 
the  sick  and  disabled  even  while  on  the  return  journey.  His  sympathy  and 
matchless  love  would  not  allow  Him  to  withhold  His  healing  virtue  from  the 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONK. 


279 


suffering.  And  so  indeed  are  we  told.  The  crowd  pressed  about  Him  in  such 
numbers  and  with  such  persistency  that  He  took  no  time  to  eat,  but  continued 
His  work  of  relief  until  His  energies  were  so  drained  that  His  friends  feared  He 
would  fail  from  prostration.  How  untiring,  how  energetic,  how  gentle,  how 
powerful  in  the  works  of  mercy.  The  world  has  never  seen  another  example  of 
such  charity,  humility  and  godliness  ! 

Shortly  after  His  return  to  Capernaum  a  Centurion,  or  captain  of  the  city 
garrison,  whose  uprightness  and  devotedness  had  served  to  endear  him  to  the 


KUINS   OF   TIIIC   VILLAGK   oF   NAIN,    SHOWING   PKKSENX   APPKARANCE   OP    TUli    Pl.ACP:. 

people,  came  to  Jesus  to  seek  His  divine  aid  in  restoring  to  health  his  favorite 
servant.  How  long  the  servant  had  been  sick,  or  with  what  ailment  he  was 
suffering,  Luke  fails  to  tell  us,  but  that  he  was  so  seriously  ill  that  his  death  was 
expected  is  affirmed.  Feeling  his  unworthiness,  as  a  Gentile,  to  approach  Jesus, 
the  Centurion  sent  to  Him  some  of  the  Jewish  elders  with  a  request  that  He 
would  come  down    and   heal    the   dying   servant.      And   when   the  messengers 


28o  FROM    MANGKR   TO   THRONE. 

presented  their  petition  they  also  described  to  Jesus  the  worthiness  of  thit 
applicant  by  saying,  "For  he  loveth  our  nation,  and  he  hath  built  us  a  syna- 
gogue. ' '  By  this  statement  it  is  shown  that  the  Centurion  was  not  only  a  ricb. 
man  but  that  he  had  either  become  converted  to  or  was  in  strong  sympathy  with 
the  Jewish  faith,  and  that  he  also  believed  on  Jesus  as  the  anointed  of  God. 
To  the  appeal  Jesus  responded  by  going  at  once  toward  the  Centurion's  house, 
but  as  He  drew  near  and  His  coming  was.  announced  the  Centurion  sent  others 
of  his  friends  to  say,  "Lord,  trouble  not  Thyself;  for  I  am  not  worthy  that 
Thou  shouldst  enter  under  my  roof.  Wherefore  neither  thought  I  myself  worthy 
to  come  unto  Thee  ;  but  say  in  a  word,  and  my  servant  shall  be  healed."  Tc 
this  great  exhibition  of  faith  in  the  power  of  Jesus  the  Centurion  added  yet 
another  evidence  by  defining  his  supreme  authority  over  the  soldiers  under  hig 
command,  and  drawing  a  contrast  between  that  small  authority  and  the  abso- 
lutism and  supreme  mastership  of  Jesus  over  all  the  things  of  this  world. 

Turning  to  the  people  who  had  followed  Him  Jesus  said,  "  I  say  unto  you,  I 
have  not  found  so  great  faith,  no,  not  in  Israel."  And  with  the  words,  "  Go  thy 
way,  and  as  thou  hast  believed,  so  be  it  done  to  thee,"  Jesus  dismissed  the 
friends  of  the  Centurion,  and  then  He  turned  back  to  renew  His  preaching  and 
ministrations  to  the  multitude.  But  the  Centurion's  faith  had  its  reward,  for 
though  Jesus  did  not  enter  his  house,  or  go  beyond  the  place  where  the 
messengers  stopped  Him,  yet  on  that  instant  the  servant  was  restored  ;  Christ 
had  spoken  the  word  and  the  servant  was  healed. 

Resurrection  Day  for  One. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  the  day  after,  that  He  went  into  a  city  called  Nain  j 
and  many  of  His  disciples  went  with  Him  and  much  people." 

This  little  village  is  a  few  miles  south  of  Nazareth,  on  the  northwestern  edge 
of  Little  Hermou  Mountain.  The  country  about  is  much  broken  until  it  reaches 
down  to  the  plain  of  Esdraelon.  From  this  plain  the  ground  rises  abruptly  into 
cliffs  and  caves,  which  serve  as  sepulchres,  and  were  so  used  in  the  time  of  Christ 

As  Jesus  and  the  multitude  of  His  followers  approached  the  village  they  sa^t 
a  procession  slowly  filing  out  of  the  gate,  bearing  away  for  burial  the  dead  body 
of  a  widov.-'s  son.  The  crowd  that  followed  and  the  evidence  of  deep  grief  showr^ 
by  so  many,  go  far  to  prove  that  the  dead  son  had  either  been  a  very  populas 
young  man  or  his  mother  was  greatly  loved  and  very  influential.  Perhaps  he  was 
just  at  the  threshold  of  manhood  and  gave  promise  of  great  usefulness,  and  ma> 
have  been  the  sole  support  of  a  widov/ed  mother.  How  hard  it  is  to  surrender- 
life  when  it  is  in  the  unfolding  of  manhood  ;  how  easy  to  lay  down  the  burdens 
that  oppress  old  age  ;  how  great  the  contrast  between  entering  upon  life's  dutie* 
and  going  out  after  the  finished  work.     But  our  sympathies  grow  to  the  fullest  ax 


Till'.    WIDOW    OI'    NAIN   S    SOX     K  i;S  TOK 1. 1  >    TO    I.IM'. 


(281) 


282  FROM    MANGER   TO    THRONE. 

the  sight  of  a  poor  woman  who,  having  lost  her  husband,  is  stricken  with  a  second 
overwhelming  affliction  in  the  loss  of  an  only  son,  the  last  prop  to  her  life 
destroj^ed,  the  last  link  that  bound  her  to  family  broken,  the  last  hope,  ambitioa 
and  prospect  of  reward  for  long  hours,  and  days,  and  years  of  loving,  motherly 
care,  crushed.  And  if  our  sympathies  are  great,  how  can  we  measure  the  com- 
passion that  Jesus  felt  at  the  sight  of  such  sorrow,  at  the  overflowing  well  of 
grief,  the  shattered  idol  and  the  broken  heart  ?  ' '  And  when  the  Lord  saw  her, 
He  had  compassion  on  her,  and  said  unto  her,  Weep  not."  Perhaps  she  was  in 
advance  of  the  pall-bearers,  for  after  thus  speaking  a  consoling  word  He  touched 
the  bier  and  bade  the  bearers  put  down  the  body,  and  they  obeyed.  Did  the 
weeping  mother  or  any  of  the  mourners  know  that  it  was  Jesus  who  had  thus- 
interrupted  the  funeral  ?  If  not,  they  must  have  thought  him  possessed,  or  were 
awed  by  His  majesty,  or  overcome  by  His  gracious,  kindly  and  compassionate 
bearing.  When  the  bier  had  been  put  down  to  await  His  further  command  or 
action,  Jesus  stood  over  the  body,  and  with  majestic  and  authoritative  call  said, 
"Young  man,  I  say  unto  thee,  Arise!"  Forthwith  the  fetters  of  death  were 
broken,  the  heart  knocked  at  all  the  silenced  arteries  and  set  them  into  action 
again,  the  whitened  cheeks  and  pallid  lips  took  on  the  blush  of  health,  and 
muscles  became  responsive  again  to  the  call  of  the  awakened  brain,  "  And  he  that 
was  dead  sat  up,  and  began  to  speak."  How  glad  would  we  be  to  know  what 
were  his  first  words.  Did  he  ask  for  his  mother  ?  did  he  with  confused  sense 
express  wonder  at  his  situation  ?  did  he  tell  his  experience  in  the  world  of  death  ? 
did  he  recognize  Christ  ?  But  on  these  points  the  apostles  are  silent ;  they  only 
tell  us  that  Jesus  delivered  the  restored  boy  to  his  overjoyed  mother,  and  that  the 
miracle  was  followed  by  a  glorification  of  God.  No  wonder  that  there  came  a 
fear  upon  all  who  witnessed  this  manifestation  of  Divine  power.  They  had  seen 
Jesus' heal  the  diseased,  but  physicians  had  relieved  the  sick  also  ;  and  though  the 
Master  healed  by  touch  or  word,  on  the  instant,  where  physicians  had  failed  after 
months  or  years  of  effort,  yet  there  was  a  seeming  relation  between  the  powers  of 
the  two,  indistinct,  but  yet  appreciative.  But  the  raising  of  the  dead  was  through 
a  power  equal  to  that  of  creation  :  occult,  impenetrable,  inexplicable,  godly  ;  and 
with  this  feeling  the  people  declared  ' '  that  a  great  prophet  is  risen  amongst  us  ; 
and  that  God  hath  visited  His  people.  And  this  rumor  of  Him  [Jesus]  went 
forth  throughout  all  Judea,  and  throughout  all  the  region  round  about." 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

POOR   MAGDALENE'S    TEARS    ILLUMINED. 

TESUS  probably  returned  to  Capertiaum  after  the  great  miracle  at  Nain, 
though  the  circumstance  about  to  be  related  may  have  occurred  in  that 
village.  The  gospels  are  silent  as  to  His  deeds  while  at  Nain,  though  it 
is  scarcely  believable  that  He  concluded  the  ministry  there  with  a  single 
act  of  mercy.  Having  raised  the  dead  to  life,  He  must  have  made  that  great  deed 
a  beginning  of  merciful  acts  in  the  village  where  He  was  certain  now  to  meet  with 
favor.  But  the  record  is  so  broken  and  incomplete  that  we  cannot  follow  Him  in 
the  mighty  works  which  He  performed.  What  a  blessing  to  civilization  is  the 
daily  press,  and  the  restless  activity  of  energetic  news-gathers  who  make  it  the 
medium  through  which  we  view  the  doings  of  the  Christianized  world.  Oh,  if 
in  the  days  of  Christ  every  town  in  Palestine  had  been  blessed  with  a  daily,  or 
weekly,  or  monthly  newspaper,  how  much  the  world  would  have  been  benefited 
b)'  full  and  accurate  reports  of  Jesus'  doings.  But  there  were  no  types  or  printing 
presses  or  active  reporters  to  herald  events  in  those  days.  No  means  of  communi- 
cation except  by  word  of  mouth,  no  records  except  the  few  made  by  scribes,  no 
books  except  those  in  manuscript,  which  only  one  in  ten  thousand  persons  was 
able  to  read.  Small  wonder  then  that  the  gospel  accounts  of  our  Saviour's  works 
and  life  are  so  brief.  Nothing  save  momentous  reasons,  absolute  authenticity  of 
the  wonders  performed,  made  even  a  fragmentary'  record  of  them  by  the  disciples 
possible.  Not  that  all  the  things  written  by  scribes  in  the  early  centuries  are  true, 
but  because  the  New  Testament  bears,  by  reason  of  its  sublime,  aye,  divine, 
images,  teachings,  history,  revelations,  the  impress  of  inspiration,  even  without 
the  corroborating  testimonies  of  the  time  and  of  the  ages. 

Banquet  in  Honor  of  Jesus. 

Whether  in  Nain  or  Capernaum,  or  other  place  in  Galilee,  Jesus  had  become 
known  to  all  the  people,  so  that  sinners,  as  well  as  the  converted,  followed  Him 
wherever  He  went.  The  contempt  expressed  by  vain-glorious  rabbis  and  Phari- 
sees could  not  repress  the  faith  of  those  who  saw  great  miracles  performed,  and  the 
rigid  requirements  of  the  Mosaic  Law  and  the  autocratic  domination  of  a  priestly 
but  intensely  worldly  class  could  not  restrain  the  noble  impulses,  born  of  convic- 
tion, that  brought  even  Pharisees  to  show  favor  to  the  Holy  One.  More  than  one 
of  this  haughty  sect  had  so  far  humbled  himself  in  the  eyes  of  his  fellows  as  ta 
acknowledge  Jesus  as  the  Christ.     And  now  comes  another,  named  Simon,  who 

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/ 


284  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

sends  an  invitation  to  our  I^ord  asking  His  company  at  a  dinner  which  was  to  be 
given  probabl)^  in  His  honor. 

What  was  Simon's  motive  in  sending  this  invitation  ?  Why,  it  was  like 
insulting  his  sect ;  it  meant  social  ostracism,  it  meant  the  loss  of  influence,  loss 
of  business,  loss  of  friends  !  It  was  therefore  a  bold  step,  hence  Simon  must 
have  had  good  reason  for  his  action.  But  Jesus  may  have  healed  some  whom 
Simon  loved,  or  given  him  new  understanding  such  as  created  a  faith  in  his  heart 
that  here  was  indeed  the  Messiah,  or  he  may  have  been  drawn  to  Him  through 
sympathy,  for  bitter  persecution  of  our  enemies  often  excites  our  compassion  and 
makes  us  befriend  them.  But  whatever  was  the  prompting,  Jesus  accepted  the 
invitation,  for  He  had  no  enmities,  not  even  for  His  persecutors,  and  no  revilings 
for  the  faithless,  no  pride  that  lifted  Him  above  association  with  the  lowest  or 
even  the  sinful. 

Simon  may  have  considered  it  a  condescension  on  his  part  to  invite  Jesus  tc 
meet  his  friends  at  dinner  in  his  house,  and  this  appears  to  be  true,  because  he 
did  not  observe  towards  his  guest  the  customs  which  were  invariable  among 
Pharisees.  Several  years  before  the  time  of  Christ  the  custom  had  obtained  in 
Palestine  of  setting  food  on  table-couches  about  one  foot  in  height  and  arranged 
on  three  sides  of  a  square,  where  the  guests  were  served,  by  the  sides  of  which 
cushions  were  placed  for  the  diners  to  rest  on  in  a  reclining  position,  with  feet 
behind  them.  Before  sitting  at  the  table,  hospitality  required  that  several  usages, 
which  appear  singular  to  us,  be  observed.  Upon  entering  the  house  each  guest 
must  remove  his  sandals  and  leave  them  outside  the  door.  He  was  then  received 
by  the  host  with  a  kiss  on  the  cheek,  and  with  the  salutation,  ' '  The  Lord  be  with 
you."  Having  thus  been  welcomed,  the  guest  took  his  seat  beside  the  table, 
when  a  servant  brought  water  and  washed  his  feet  as  a  ceremony  figurative  of 
cleanliness.  Following  this  the  master  of  the  house  or  his  servant  applied  to  the 
beard  and  head  of  the  guest  fragrant  oil  as  a  ceremonial  of  anointment,  aftei 
which  another  pail  of  water  was  brought  in  for  the  guest  to  wash  his  hands. 
This  latter  ceremony  was  figurative  of  legal  purity  as  well  as  an  act  of  cleanli- 
ness, the  guests  having  to  take  their  bread  in  the  fingers  and  dip  into  a  dish 
that  was  passed  around  to  all. 

The  Bathing  of  Tired  Feet. 

While  the  company  in  Simon's  house  were  partaking  of  the  meal,  theii 
feasting  was  arrested  by  the  entrance  of  a  woman  bearing  in  her  hands  an  ala- 
baster  box  of  ointment  ;  pausing  but  a  moment,  in  her  difiidence,  she  timidly 
approached  Jesus  and  with  worshipful  mien  stooped  down  to  anoint  with  oil  and 
to  kiss  His  feet,  as  a  mark  of  extreme  humility  and  reverence  ;  but  so  overcome 
was  she  by  emotion  that  a  flood  of  tears  gushed  from  her  eyes  and  fell  upon  the 


FROM    MANGKR    TO   THRONE. 


285 


unsandaled  feet  of  her  Saviour,  at  the  same  time  her  long  hair  became  loosed 
from  its  fastenings,  which  she  quickly  seized  and  used  as  a  towel  to  wipe  the  feet 
which  her  tears  of  contrition  had  thus  bathed.  What  agitation,  what  patience, 
what  sting  of  conscience,  and  what  adoration  exhibited  by  this  sincere  penitent ! 
But  who  was  she?  Well,  she  was  not  a  righteous  woman,  she  was  not  only  a 
Gentile,  she  was  not  merely  a  Pharisee  come  to  acknowledge  the  hypocrisy  of  her 
people,  nor  a  woman  who  felt  regret  for  an  ordinar>'  sin.  She  was  worse  than 
any  of  these,  than  all  of  these,  for  she  was  a  courtezan.  Oh,  what  a  crime  is 
this  !  What  an  unpardonable  sin,  that  all  the  rabbis  and  the  self-righteous,  and 
the  proud  Pharisees  could  not  condone,  but  who  made  the  offence  as  great  as  mur- 
der, or  blasphemy,  or  treason,  and  who  only  withheld  the  penalty  of  death  because 
there  was  so  much  like  guilt  among  themselves.  Simon  was  appalled  by  such 
effrontery,  horrified,  indignant  at  what  he  esteemed  to  be  the  »uost  aggravating  insult 


TABLE-COUCHES  OF  PALESTINE. 

that  his  guest  could  possibly  suffer.     Why,  no  woman,  not  even  a  good  woman, 

not  even  a  wife  or  daughter,  might  obtrude  her  presence  upon  an  assemblage  of 

friends  at  meals,  but  not  only  is  there  here  a  transgression  of  social  custom  but 

the   intruder  is  a  corrupt  creature  !     The  disgust   of  Simon   and  his  Pharisaic 

fellows,  who  were  doubtless  present,  was  doubly  intensified  upon  seeing  Jesus 

accept  with  apparent  pleasure  such  defilement,   such  pollution.      "Why,"  said 

they  in  their  hearts,  "if  this  Man  is  what  He  pretends  to  be  He  would  have 

known  who  the  woman  is  and  that  she  is  a  sinner,  and  He  would  have  repelled 

her  advances  as  a  moral  leper,  whose  touch  was  to  be  avoided  as  poison  to  both 

flesh  and  soul." 

The  Quest  Rebukes  the  Host. 

Understanding,  by  divine  perception,  what  Simon  was  revolving  in  his  mind, 
Jesus  turned  to  him  and  said,  "  Will  you  answer  Me  this  question  ?     There  was  a 


286  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

certain  creditor  who  had  two  debtors  ;  the  one  owed  five  hundred  pence,  and  the 
•other  fifty.  And  when  they  had  nothing  to  pay,  he  frankly  forgave  them  both. 
Tell  me,  therefore,  which  of  them  will  love  him  most  ? 

' '  Simon  answered  and  said,  I  suppose  that  he  to  whom  he  forgave  most. 
And  He  said  unto  him.  Thou  hast  rightly  judged. 

"  And  He  turned  unto  the  woman,  and  said  unto  Simon,  Seest  thou  this 
woman  ?  I  entered  into  thine  house,  thou  gavest  me  no  water  for  my  feet ;  but 
she  has  washed  my  feet  with  tears  and  wiped  them  with  the  hairs  of  her  head. 
Thou  gavest  Me  no  kiss,  but  this  woman  since  the  time  I  came  in  hath  not  ceased 
to  kiss  my  feet.  My  head  with  oil  thou  didst  not  anoint,  but  this  woman  hath 
anointed  my  feet  with  ointment. 

"  Wherefore  I  say  unto  thee,  Her  sins,  which  are  many,  are  forgiven  ;  for 
.she  loved  much  ;  but  to  whom  little  is  forgiven,  the  same  loveth  little." 

Then  directing  His  conversation  to  the  penitent  and  weeping  woman.  He 
spoke  compassionate  words  which  lifted  her  soul  out  of  its  travail  and  dispelled 
the  darkness  in  her  heart  by  the  light  of  divine  forgiveness.  Said  He,  ' '  Thy 
«ins  be  forgiven.     Thy  faith  hath  saved  thee  :  go  in  peace." 

She  was  a  depraved  woman,  but  by  God's  immeasurable  grace  she  was  not 
a  lost  woman  !  No  sin  so  great  that  it  may  not  be  reached  and  cured  by  the  balm 
of  Christ's  mercy.  Society  may  pass  its  harsh  criticisms,  and  brand  with  dis- 
grace, and  afflict  with  stripes,  and  aggravate  by  persecution,  but  Jesus  stands  as  a 
barrier  against  the  mockers,  and  He  takes  the  persecuted  but  penitent  outcasts 
under  His  care,  when  lo  !  they  are  forgiven  and  depart  in  peace. 

Another  Circuit  of  Galilee. 

After  the  feast  at  Simon's  house,  Jesus  continued  His  ministry  through  all 
the  towns  and  villages  of  Galilee,  being  accompanied  on  this  mission  by  all  the 
twelve  of  His  apostles  and  by  several  women  who  had  been  drawn  to  Him  by  acts 
of  mercy,  and  the  graciousness  of  His  teachings.  These  were  so  devoted  in  their 
attachments  to  our  Lord  that  we  rejoice  that  their  names  are  preserved  as  the  first 
£ve  mothers  of  the  Church  of  Christ.  Mary,  which  name  is  also  rendered  Miriam, 
Miriamne  and  Marie,  was  probably  the  earliest  of  these  to  accept  Jesus.  She  was 
a  native  of  Magdala,  from  whom  seven  devils  had  been  cast  out,  but  the  special 
circumstance  is  not  reported.  There  was  also  Johanna,  wife  of  Chuza,  Herod's 
steward  in  the  palace  of  Tiberias  ;  and  Mary,  wife  of  Cleophas,  or  most  likely  the 
wife  of  James  the  Less,  one  of  the  disciples,  as  Dr.  Smith  belieyes  ;  and  Salome, 
wife  of  Zebedee,  mother  of  John  and  James,  and  sister  of  our  Lord's  mother; 
and  Susanna,  about  whom  also  we  are  told  little.  These  loyal  five  were  women 
of  more  or  less  wealth  and  influence,  and  they  not  only  gave  to  Jesus  their 
Jieartiest  support,  but  contributed  to  Him  and  the  disciples  from  their  possessions, 


(287) 


288  FROM    MANGER    TO    THRONE. 

following  Him  on  all  the  long  and  toilsome  journeys  through  the  hill  country  of 
Galilee,  sharing  all  His  hardships  and  the  revilings  of  Pharisees,  and  accounting 
these  as  blessings  because  they  served  to  bring  them  into  closer  sympathy  with 
Him. 

While  many  in  Galilee  reflected  the  prejudices  of  the  scribes  and  jealous 
rabbis,  friends  were  not  usually  wanting  to  give  Jesus  and  His  company  food  and 
shelter  wherever  they  stopped,  or'  into  whatever  village  they  came.  Not  only 
were  their  immediate  wants  satisfied  by  generous  persons  in  the  towns  through 
which  Jesus  passed,  but  contributions  of  money  were  made  which  were  given 
into  the  care  of  Judas  as  treasurer,  who  in  turn  distributed  it  among  the  poor, 
for  Jesus  would  not  accept,  nor  permit  His  disciples  to  receive  personal  profit  for 
His  ministrations.  He  was  sent  to  do  the  will  of  God,  and  to  dispense  salvation 
without  price,  and  in  doing  so  to  teach  the  vanity  of  riches,  as  opposed  to  the 
great  rewards  reserved  for  the  righteous  poor. 

In  His  journeyings  through  Galilee  He  preached  the  new  Gospel,  and  by 
infractions  of  immemorial  customs  of  austerity  among  the  Pharisees,  He  repu- 
diated the  empty  ceremonials  which  distinguished  their  religion  ;  He  neither 
fasted  nor  feasted,  nor  affected  the  ostentatious  dress  of  the  rabbis,  nor  wore 
leathern  phylacteries,  nor  regarded  prescribed  texts,  nor  gave  countenance  to  the 
ascetic  restrictions  by  which  Jews  were  bound  when  eating  ;  even  the  ceremony 
of  baptism  seems  to  have  been  abandoned,  probably  because  rites  or  sacrifices  of 
any  kind  appeared  to  flavor  of  Jewish  formalism,  and  to  practice  any  of  these 
would  make  His  condemnation  of  their  rituals,  as  dissimulation  and  impiety, 
inconsistent.  But  He  observed  the  National  festivals  at  Jerusalem,  because  by 
these  the  people  were  bound  together  to  a  recognition  of  the  principles  of  atone- 
ment for  sin,  the  love  of  God,  and  the  divine  blessings  upon  the  institutions 
which  a  departure  from  the  true  faith  had  profaned.  But  He  cared  nothing  for 
the  shadow  which  so  frail  a  substance  cast.  The  Temple  to  Him  was  but  the 
ghost  of  what  was  once  a  splendid  reality  ;  a  magnificent  body  from  which  the 
spirit  had  been  cast  out ;  the  orisons  of  its  priests  only  indistinct  echoes  striking 
back  from  the  past,  and  with  which  understanding  did  not  fellowship.  On  the 
other  hand,  Christ  taught  in  the  open  air,  along  the  beach,  on  hillside  or 
mountain  peak,  in  the  streets  among  artisans  besweated  by  toil,  or  among 
peasants  whose  plow  was  left  in  the  furrow,  or  among  the  fishermen  who  dropped 
their  nets  even  while  hauling  in  a  catch,  or  in  households  to  which  He  brought 
peace.  He  cared  nothing  for  fine  temples,  or  pretentious  monuments  whose 
corner-stone  was  insincerity.  He  loved  the  family  altar.  He  loved  His  friends, 
He  was  democratic  to  a  degree,  and  among  sinners,  for  whom  He  had  the 
strongest  afifection — that  love  born  of  compassion — He  was  not  only  popular,  but 
He  was  to  them  the  Christ. 


FROM   MANGKR   TO   THRONE.  289 

His  Mother  Seeks  Him. 

At  one  place  where  Christ  was  preaching  and  healing,  the  multitude  pressed 
about  Him  so  closel)-  that  His  mother  and  brothers,  who  were  on  the  outer  side 
of  the  throng,  unable  to  make  their  way  through,  communicated,  by  one  to 
another,  their  desire  to  speak  with  Him.  It  is  not  improbable  that  He  antici- 
pated their  request  for  Him  to  cease  His  teaching  for  a  w^hile  and  take  such  rest 
as  His  overtaxed  energies  .stood  so  much  in  need  of.  Indeed,  their  anxieties  had 
grown  so  great  that  some  of  His  friends  seem  to  have  contemplated  a  forcible 
seizure  of  His  person  to  compel  His  temporar>'  withdrawal  from  the  public. 
Therefore,  when  one  of  the  persons  learning  of  Mary's  request  said  to  Him  : 
"  Thy  mother  and  Thy  brethren  stand  without,  desiring  to  speak  with  Thee," 
He  an.swered  :  ' '  Who  is  my  mother  ?  and  who  are  my  brethren  ?  ' '  And  He 
stretched  forth  His  hands  towards  His  di.sciples  and  said  :  ' '  Behold  My  mother 
and  My  brethren  ! '"' 

This  language  embodies  no  disrespect  for  His  mother,  for  it  is  used  only  as  a 
simile,  to  show  His  hearers  how  He  estimates  those  who  hear  the  word  of  God 
and  do  His  will ;  and  how  these  shall  be  to  Him  as  brother,  sister  and  mother. 
While  the  figure  thus  given  was  most  impressive  upon  His  hearers,  it  ser\'ed  also 
as  a  gentle  reproof  to  His  mother  for  having  regard  for  His  physical  rather  than 
His  spiritual  strength.  It  was  only  one  of  a  hundred  illustrations  which  He  gave, 
not  only  to  the  multitude  that  gathered  about  Him,  but  to  His  disciples,  His 
brothers  and  His  mother,  that  as  His  commission  was  from  on  high  so  were  His 
energies,  and  therefore  working  by  Divine  direction  His  corporeal  needs  were 
supplied  by  His  spiritual  nature. 

Charged  with  the  Black  Art. 

Having  for  a  second  time  completed  a  circuit  of  Galilee,  Jesus  returned  to 
Capernaum  and  again  entered  the  house  of  some  one  of  His  many  friends  there. 
But  His  popularity  had  continued  to  increase  despite  the  reproaches  and  insinua- 
tions and  threats  of  the  rabbis,  who  sought  openly  to  bring  Him  into  disrepute. 
They  admitted  His  wonderful  powers  over  death  and  sickness,  but  for  want  of  an 
explanation  that  would  more  certainly  prejudice  Him  in  the  eyes  of  His  followers, 
they  declared  that  what  He  did  was  through  the  agenc}^  of  Beelzebub,  whom  the 
Phoenicians  first  introduced  as  the  prince  of  devils.  The  rabbis  themselves 
pretended  to  a  possession  of  secret  power,  and  cultivated  occultism.  They  even 
claimed  to  be  able  to  exorcise  spirits  and  to  perform  many  astounding  things, 
which,  however,  for  obvious  reasons,  they  seldom  or  rather  never  performed, 
being  apparently  content  with  the  pretension.  But  they  taught  that  there  were 
legions  of  good  and  evil  spirits,  the  latter  more  numerous  and  generally  having 
greater  potentiality,  and  that  they  were  inextinguishable  except  by  the  utterance 
19 


290  FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONE. 

of  certain  magic  words,  accompanied  by  prescribed  acts  which  were  revealed  to 
none  save  the  rabbis.  BeHef  in  this  occult  power  and  teachings  of  the  priests 
prevailed  commonly  throughout  Palestine,  and  when  they  accused  Jesus  of 
practicing  the  black  art,  the  charge  was  not  wholly  ineffectual.  But  against  it 
Christ  opposed  His  merciful  deeds,  and  brought  clearly  to  the  minds  of  His 
hearers  the  inconsistency  of  the  accusation  :  that  an  evil  tree  might  be  expected 
to  bring  forth  good  fruit,  the  sinful  to  perform  righteous  acts,  Satan  himself  to  be 
a  missionary  of  the  gospel  of  love,  charity  and  godliness  :  in  short,  that  hell 
might  with  equal  reason  be  converted  into  heaven,  as  to  ascribe  His  miracles, 
His  pure  life  and  His  teachings  to  a  power  borrowed  from  Beelzebub. 

Glorious  Dawn  of  the  Parables. 

Though  at  every  point  of  conflict  with  the  rabbis,  Jesus  covered  them  with 
confusion  by  the  unanswerable  logic  of  His  reasoning  no  less  than  by  His  deeds, 
yet  this  defeat  before  the  multitudes  only  increased  the  bitterness  of  His  enemies^ 
who  saw  themselves  as  steadily  declining  in  the  estimation  of  the  people  as  Jesus 
was  advancing.  They  regarded  Him  as  a  zealot  determined  upon  overthrowing 
the  Mosaic  law  and  subverting  the  Jewish  theocracy,  which  meant  disaster  to 
rabbinical  and  Pharisaical  influence,  and  complete  destruction  of  their  power  with 
the  people.  The  implacable  hostility  of  the  rabbis  to  Christ  is  not  a  rare  example 
of  man's  antagonism  to  God  for  worldly  advancement,  or  for  the  retention  of 
earthly  authority.  But  Jesus  so  lightly  regarded  their  enmity,  even  when  it  was 
most  threatening,  that  though  He  more  than  once  moved  out  of  their  immediate 
reach,  He  never  ceased  to  condemn  the  hypocrisy  and  false  pretensions  of  the 
rabbis,  Pharisees  and  all  evil  doers,  whatsoever  their  power  or  influence. 

The  multitudes  continued  to  gather  about  Him,  and  when  He  returned  to 
Capernaum  He  was  again  forced  to  leave  the  house  of  His  friend  and  the  repose 
it  offered,  because  of  the  pressing  throng.  He  therefore,  as  before,  repaired  to  the 
lake-side.  Here  also,  as  previously,  the  gathering  was  so  great  and  importunate 
that  He  had  to  seek  protection  in  a  boat  to  avoid  the  crush.  Taking  His  seat 
in  the  prow,  only  a  yard  or  two  from  the  shore.  He  instructed  the  interested 
congregation  by  parables,  those  bold  and  striking  figures  of  speech  and  impressive 
word-illustration  which  is  one  of  the  prime  distinguishing  marks  of  His  divine 
ministry.  Heretofore  we  have  seen  the  Lord  as  a  teacher  presenting  new 
doctrines  in  opposition  to  the  beliefs  and  customs  that  had  the  recognition  of  ages 
to  support  their  continuance.  Some  of  His  sayings  were  therefore  not  so  easy 
of  interpretation  by  the  ignorant  classes  who  were  bound  heart  and  brain  to  the 
unyielding  forms  of  ritualism.  These  direct  teachings,  while  striking  home  to 
the  hearts  of  many,  fell  with  imperceptible  effect  on  the  heads  of  others,  who, 
drawn  by  curiosity,   went   away  to  mock.     Christ  now  adopted  the  parable  to 


P 


!» 


292  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

embellish  His  teachings,  just  as  illustrations  are  used  to  ornament  and  impress 
the  text  of  a  book.  At  the  same  time  He  gave  to  them  just  enough  mysticism 
to  excite  wonder  and  to  impress  with  greater  firmness  those  susceptible  to 
instructions, — those  who  while  yet  spiritually  blind  had  extreme  sensibility  of 
perception,  which  made  them  eager  to  understand  when  once  their  curiosity  was 
aroused.  The  parable  was  used  by  rabbis  and  the  Hellenes  long  before  the  time 
of  Christ,  but  it  was  reserved  for  Him  to  present  the  figure  in  a  stronger  light 
and  deeper  sense  of  application  to  the  relationship  which  man  occupies  toward 
his  fellows  and  toward  God. 

Parable  of  the  Sower.. 

Instead  of  delivering  a  discourse  to  the  congregation  by  the  seaside,  Jesus 
instructed  them  by  presenting  to  them  the  parable  of  a  sower,  who,  without 
first  preparing  his  field,  scattered  his  seed  in  a  careless  manner,  regardless  of 
where  they  might  fall,  trusting  to  fortune  for  the  harvest  which  they  might 
produce.  Those  seeds  which  fell  by  the  wayside,  or  on  stony  ground,  or  among 
thorns  were  of  course  destroyed,  by  being  trampled  upon,  or  scorched,  or  choked 
out  by  thriftier  growths.  But  those  which  fell  on  good  ground  sprang  up  and 
yielded  bounteously. 

Even  those  who  knew  Jesus  best,  and  believed  on  Him  most,  did  not  at  first 
understand  the  purport  of  this  parable,  failing  to  discover  the  lesson  which  it 
embodied,  in  the  confusion  which  they  felt  at  the  departure  thus  made  from  His 
usual  manner  of  teaching  and  reasoning.  So  when  His  disciples  and  many  others 
of  His  followers  were  alone  with  Him,  they  asked  why  He  spoke  to  the  people  in 
parables.  To  this  inquiry  He  made  exposition  of  His  purpose  by  explaining  to 
them  the  difference  between  those  who  believed  on  Him,  and  those  who  were  yet 
in  the  darkness  of  doubt.  He  further  illustrated  this  distinction  by  an  explanation 
of  the  parable  as  follows  : 

' '  The  sower  soweth  the  word  of  God.  When  any  one  heareth  the  word  of 
the  kingdom,  and  understandeth  it  not,  then  cometh  the  devil  immediately,  and 
catcheth  away  the  word  that  was  sown  in  his  heart,  lest  he  should  believe  and  be 
saved.  This  is  he  which  received  seed  by  the  wayside.  But  he  that  received  seed 
into  stony  places,  the  same  is  he  that  heareth  the  word,  and  anon  with  joy 
receiveth  it ;  yet  hath  he  not  root  in  himself,  so  he  endureth  but  for  a  while,  and 
in  time  of  temptation  falleth  away,  for  when  tribulation  or  persecution  ariseth 
because  of  the  word,  immediately  he  is  offended.  He  also  that  received  seed 
among  the  thorns  is  he  that  heareth  the  word,  and  the  cares  of  this  world,  and  the 
deceitfulness  of  riches,  the  pleasures  of  life,  and  the  lusts  of  other  things  entering 
in,  choke  the  word,  and  he  becometh  unfruitful.  But  he  that  receiveth  seed  into 
the  good  ground  is  he  that  heareth  the  word  and  understandeth  it,  and  in  an 


FROM    MANGER   TO  THRONE.  293 

honest  good  heart  keepeth  it,  which  also  beareth  fruit,  and  bringeth  forth,  some 
thirty,  some  sixty,  and  some  a  hundred  fold." 

This  parable  may  also  be  considered  as  a  primary  object  lesson  delivered  to 
the  disciples  and  to  all  Christians.  Christ  had  foreseen  the  hostility  which  His 
teachings  would  excite,  and  now  He  and  His  followers  were  confronted  by  perse- 
cutions of  the  rabbinical  sect,  and  the  temptations  which  mockers  of  every  school 
had  to  offer.  The  parable  was  therefore  a  striking  prefigurement  of  what  His 
followers  must  endure  for  righteousness'  sake,  and  an  illustration  of  the  necessities 
which  must  be  the  equipment  of  all  true  disciples.  No  man  setteth  a  lighted 
candle  under  a  vessel,  but  he  places  it  where  it  will  shed  the  most  light ;  so  must 
those  who  confess  God  set  the  light  of  their  confession  and  understanding  before 
men,  that  it  may  be  as  a  watch-fire  in  the  path  of  righteousness,  and  a  beacon  to 
direct  the  way  of  the  repentant  against  the  temptations  of  the  sinful. 

A  Ruined  Crop. 

When  the  multitude  came  to  Him  again  Jesus  spoke  to  them  in  other  para- 
bles, presenting  in  each  a  lesson  of  obedience  to  God,  the  spiritual  growth  of 
knowledge  in  the  minds  of  the  faithful,  and  the  promises  of  the  new  kingdom 
which  He  had  come  to  establish  in  the  hearts  of  men.  He  therefore  offered  many 
parables  as  similitudes  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  saying,  "The  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  likened  unto  a  man  who  soweth  good  seed  in  his  field,  but  while  men 
slept,  his  enemy  came  and  sowed  tares  among  his  wheat,  and  went  his  way." 

In  Palestine  there  is  a  weed  called  daj'?iel,  which  before  it  comes  to  a  head 
bears  such  close  resemblance  to  wheat,  that  it  cannot  be  distinguished  from  the 
other,  so  that  the  opinion  is  general  among  farmers  of  that  country'  that  darnel,  or 
zizamia,  is  degenerated  wheat,  as  we  consider  cheat  to  be.  Yet  when  the  growth 
puts  out  a  head  the  resemblance  no  longer  continues,  so  that  children  are  em- 
ployed to  separate  one  from  the  other  before  threshing.  The  grains  of  the  darnel 
are  so  poisonous  that  if  by  chance  they  become  mixed  with  wheat  the  flour  there- 
from if  eaten  may  produce  convulsions  and  even  death. 

The  parable  which  Christ  gave  becomes  more  illustrative  in  the  light  of  this 
information,  as  it  serves  to  show  the  likeness  between  the  first  stages  of  faith  and 
good  resolutions  in  the  minds  of  all  men,  and  the  wide  difference  which  afterwards 
appears  between  the  weak  and  worldly-bound  man  and  the  firm  and  resolute  who 
swerve  not  from  early  convictions  of  their  duty  towards  God.  The  parable  is 
therefore  given  to  show  us  the  importance  of  watchfulness  against  the  temptations 
no  less  than  the  machinations  of  enemies.  The  parable  following,  or  that  of  the 
seed  growing  secretly,  is  an  explanation  of  that  of  the  wheat  and  tares.  "So  is 
the  kingdom  of  God,  as  if  a  man  should  cast  seed  into  the  ground  ;  and  should 
sleep,  and  rise  night  and  day,  and  the  seed  should  spring  and  grow  up,  he  knoweth 


294 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


not  how."  Thus  if  we  continue  not  exclusive  in  our  faith,  but  use  our  influence 
at  all  times  for  the  betterment  of  the  world,  the  fruits  of  our  persistent  and  goodly 
labors  will  appear  to  gladden  our  hearts  and  give  us  greater  favor  with  God. 

' '  Another  parable  put  He  forth  unto  them,  saying  :  The  kingdom  of  heaven 
is  likened  to  a  grain  of  mustard-seed,  which  a  man  took,  and  sowed  in  his  field  ; 
which  is  the  least  of  all  seeds  ;  but  when  it  is  grown,  it  is  the  greatest  among 
herbs,  and  becometh  a  tree  and  shooteth  out  branches,  so  that  birds  of  the  air 
come  and  lodge  under  the  shadow  of  it  or  in  the  branches  thereof. ' '  And  again 
is  the  kingdom  of  heaven  likened  unto  leaven  which  being  put  into  a  measure  of 
meal  leaveneth  the  whole. 

And  Jesus  likened  his  kingdom  unto  a  treasure  hid  in  a  field  which  a  man 
chances  to  find  ;  or  like  a  merchant  who,  seeking  pearls,  findeth  one  greater  than 
all  others,  which  he  sells  all  his  other  possessions  to  obtain  ;  or  like  a  net  cast  into 
the  sea  which  draweth  in  a  great  catch  of  fish,  some  good  and  some  bad,  and  the 
bad  are  separated  from  the  good  and  cast  away. 

The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  the  pearl  of  great  price,  the  one  inestimable  treasure, 
and  the  faithfulness  and  righteousness  of  a  man,  resolute  in  the  service  of  God, 
shall  be  the  net  that  drags  the  ocean  of  humanity  and  brings  the  good  to  Christ ; 
the  householder  who  brings  out  of  his  treasure  things  new  and  old  as  an  offering 
to  God  :  His  works  are  the  seed  that  grow  up  from  a  small  beginning  into  a  tree 
which  casts  a  grateful  shadow  and  invites  to  its  refreshing  retreat  the  sin-stricken 
and  the  penitential ;  the  beginning  of  his  teaching,  the  leaven  that  sets  into  action 
the  goodly  forces  of  righteousness  until  all  about  him  are  brought  by  his  good 
deeds,  splendid  example,  and  worship  of  God  to  see  the  beauty  and  satisfaction 
and  golden  promise  of  a  truly  religious  life,  and  come  to  embrace  it. 


Emj^EHHSSHr'  r!,r'  d.d.d  J.d.r*  ^^44  r[-^4d^.^d4iA4ds^^rf4  rj  ^^ 


m^-0i\' ^^Mff^ '^Mlm  ^v<Mi  '^^^^'^WM^^mM' '  l^m  '  i$^i^  Kjxis^  i 


^jfeSyi^y^|f^;^^,^;j;:>^^^^^Y^p^;:^v}^^^ 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

THE   STORM    OF    RANCOR    BLACKENS. 

%  OSTILITY  of  the  Pharisees  no  doubt  seriously  interrupted  the  good 

W^  ^^k  work  of  Jesus  in  Galilee,  although  here  were  nearly  all  His  friends, 
K  r  and  gathered  about  Him  were  hundreds,  if  not  thousands,  of  devoted 
^^^  **  followers.  Open  conflict  had  not  yet  resulted,  except  in  the  few 
instances  described,  but  the  rabbis  were  bringing  all  the  power  of  their  very 
great  influence  to  bear,  to  discredit  Him  in  the  minds  of  the  people  who  were 
attracted  by  His  teachings  and  miracles. 

To  allay  the  ill-feeling  that  had  been  aroused  against  Him,  and  which  was 
increasing,  Jesus  resolved  to  depart  for  a  while  from  Capernaum  ;  or  else  He  was 
influenced  to  visit  Jerusalem  by  the  approach  of  an  annual  feast,  which  would 
give  Him  opportunity  to  renew  His  ministr}^  at  the  nation's  capital  under  the 
favoring  circumstances  of  the  popularity  in  which  He  was  held  by  the  people  of 
all  provinces  who  would  be  gathered  there.  Jesus  had  no  reason  to  fear  His 
enemies,  but  the  purpose  of  His  mission  required  Him  to  withdraw  from  time  to 
time  from  places  where  Pharisee  despotism  or  absolutism  was  so  complete  that 
antagonism  to  it  exposed  His  followers,  as  well  as  Himself,  to  persecution  and 
direful  threatenings.  Until  His  time  was  come,  therefore,  He  avoided  a  more 
serious  conflict  than  a  courteous  answering  of  all  cavilers,  and  an  exposure  of  the 
bold  hypocrisies  of  His  vain-righteous  critics,  and  when  these  threatenings  grew 
ominous  He  retired  for  a  while  only  to  reappear  in  another  field,  where  He 
resumed  His  beneficent  labors 

Departing  from  Capernaum,  Jesus  set  out  for  Jerusalem  to  attend  one  of 
the  annual  festivals,  but  whether  it  was  the  feast  of  Purim,  or  the  Passover,  or 
Pentecost,  or  of  the  Tabernacles,  we  do  not  know,  nor  do  the  Apostles  tell  us, 
neither  do  we  know  whether  or  not  the  Apostles  accompanied  Him,  or  whether 
He  had  any  company  whatever.  The  record  is  very  brief,  and  the  incident  which 
followed  His  appearance  at  Jerusalem  is  made  by  John  to  appear  as  occurring 
directly  after  the  second  miracle,  or  the  healing  of  the  nobleman's  son.  For  sev- 
eral reasons,  however,  it  is  quite  improbable  that  Jesus  returned  to  Jerusalem  so 
soon  after  His  rejection  in  Judea,  for  it  would  have  been  impolitic  in  Him  to  do 
so  on  account  of  the  rancorous  feeling  which  was  excited  by  His  cleansing  of  the 
Temple,  and  the  death  of  John,  which  had  caused  great  excitement  among  the 
people  and  no  .small  concern  to  Herod. 

(295) 


296  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

The  Mineral  Baths. 

At  the  present  visit  to  Jerusalem  Jesus  did  not  make  Himself  conspicuous  on 
many  occasions,  so  that  no  mention  of  His  deeds  done  while  there  is  made,  save 
alone  of  His  healing  an  infirm  man  at  the  Pool  of  Bethesda,  and  of  the  contro- 
versy which  grew  out  of  the  act.  Jerusalem's  supply  of  water  in  the  time  of 
Christ  was  dependent  upon  several  springs,  or  pools,  and  wells  sunk  by  people 
rich  enough  to  afford  them.  The  Temple  was  provided  with  large  cisterns  exca- 
vated out  of  the  lime-stone  rock  beneath,  and  occasionally  families  had  similar 
provisions,  but  water  was  generally  a  scarce  article  in  the  dry  seasons,  so  that 
such  pools  as  remained  full  became  congregating  places  for  the  poor  who  came  to 
draw  water  in  skins  and  jars,  in  which  vessels  it  was  peddled  about  the  city. 

One  of  the  largest  and  most  noted  pools  was  known  as  that  of  Bethesda, 
which  was  located,  as  recent  explorers  declare,  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the 
Temple  enclosure,  and,  as  John  says,  near  the  sheep-gate.  It  is  believed  to  have 
been  a  large  reservoir,  hewn  out  of  the  lime-stone  and  divided  into  two  connect- 
ing pools  by  a  stone  wall  which  was  separated  in  the  centre  by  a  space  of  only  a 
few  feet.  That  these  waters  contained  mineral  properties  is  certain,  and  such 
pools  or  springs  were  in  great  repute  among  the  people  for  their  curative  virtues. 
The  separation  of  the  reservoir  by  a  wall — as  recently  discovered — leads  to  the 
impression  that  the  pool  was  of  flowing  water,  so  that  the  upper  reservoir  sup- 
plied water  for  drinking  while  the  lower  pool  was  reserved  for  bathers.  The 
waters  were  believed  to  be  most  effective  when  "  troubled,"  or  when  heavy  rains 
tinged  them  by  washings  from  the  red  soil  above,  or  when  there  was  a  fresh  flow 
after  a  long  intermission.  We  know  that  "  Siloam's  brook,  which  flowed  fast  by 
the  oracle  of  God,"  was,  as  its  neighbor,  the  Fountain  of  the  Virgin,  is  to-day, 
a  remittent  pool,  and  it  is  probable  that  Bethesda  was  also.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  but  that  in  addition  to  the  natural  quality  of  these  mineral  waters,  there 
was  a  supernatural  strength  which  the  inspired  record  calls  ' '  an  angel  troubling 

the  waters. ' ' 

Chronic  Rheumatism  Cured. 

The  healing  virtues  of  Bethesda 's  pool  were  so  famous  that  at  certain  sea- 
sons, when  these  properties  were  most  effective,  the  place  was  thronged  with  per- 
sons suffering  from  infirmities  of  almost  every  nature  :  the  palsied,  paralyzed, 
rheumatic,  the  lame,  deaf  and  blind,  and  such  other  afflictions.  The  city,  or 
charitable  persons,  having  recognized  the  great  virtue  of  the  waters,  for  the  better 
accommodation  of  those  who  resorted  here  in  the  hope  of  being  -cured,  built  five 
porches  about  the  pool,  which  served  both  as  shelter  and  repose,  while  steps  were 
also  built  leading  down  into  the  water  for  the  benefit  of  the  bathers. 

As  Jesus  was  ever  attracted  to  the  suffering.  He  came  to  this  pool,  not  as  a 
mere  spectator,  but  to  do  some  beneficent  act,  and  to  excite  with  hope  many  who 


JKSUS   AND   HIS   DISCIPLES   CROSSING    MT.    OI.IVKT. 


(297) 


298  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

had  bathed  so  long  in  vain.  His  sympathetic  eye  was  specially  arrested  by  a 
sufferer  whose  protracted  affliction  must  have  almost  worn  out  expectation  in  any 
less  hopeful  mind.  The  man  had  been  a  cripple,  probably  from  inflammatory 
rheumatism,  for  a  period  of  thirty-eight  years — more  than  the  average  human  life. 
There  on  a  mat  the  helpless  sufferer  lay,  with  no  friends  about  him,  and  no  kindly 
aid  proffered  to  help  him  into  the  healing  waters.  Time  and  again,  perhaps,  he  had 
lain  there  and  seen  the  pool  troubled  by  what  he  believed  was  a  good  angel,  and 
as  often  witnessed  the  wild  scramble  of  the  more  fortunate  afflicted  as  they  rushed 
down  into  the  gracious  reservoir,  or  were  plunged  into  the  seething  bath  by  friendly 
assisting  hands  ;  yet  he  alone  was  suffered  to  lie  unattended,  and  uncared  for. 

Jesus,  the  embodiment  of  godly  compassion,  the  soul  of  sympathy,  the  very 
essence  of  tenderness,  the  God  of  mercy,  could  not  look  on  such  a  sight  without 
His  great  heart  of  pity  being  moved  to  immediate  action,  so  approaching  the  dis- 
tressful object  of  extraordinary  misfortune.  He  said  to  him,  "  Wilt  thou  be  made 
whole?  "  Jesus  knew  what  would  be  his  answer  :  He  knew  how  long  the  poor 
sufferer  had  waited  and  hoped  for  that  help  which  cruel  circumstances  and  the 
inhumanity  of  others  had  denied  him.  The  question  must  therefore  have  been 
asked  with  the  view  to  discovering  how  far  the  man's  hopes  had  been  spent. 
"  Sir,"  answered  the  impotent  man,  "  when  the  water  is  troubled  no  one  offers  to 
help  me  into  the  bath,  and  without  assistance  I  can  do  nothing  for  myself.  If  I 
attempt  to  drag  myself  to  the  steps  others  rush  in  and  crowd  me  away,  so  that 
sorry  indeed  is  my  condition."  He  may  have  added,  "Will  you,  dear  Sir,  not 
help  me?  "  And  immediately  the  Divine  Physician  said  to  him,  "  Rise,  take  up 
thy  bed,  and  walk."  It  was  the  same  command  that  He  had  spoken  to  the  palsied 
one  who  had  been  let  down  through  the  roof  of  a  house  in  which  He  was  teach- 
ing, and  the  effect  of  that  speech  was  repeated  now,  for  straightway  he  who  had 
been  impotent  for  thirty-eight  years  arose  in  perfect  restoration,  and  picking  up 
his  pallet  he  walked  away  with  heart  full  of  thankfulness. 

A  Precious  Crowd  of  Hypocrites. 

This  gracious  act  was  performed  on  the  Sabbath  day,  and  with  their  hearts 
already  filled  with  jealously  the  Pharisees  seized  on  this  violation  of  the  Sabbatic 
law  to  renew  their  persecutions  of  Jesus.  So  rigid  were  the  laws  respecting  the 
Sabbath  that  it  was  forbidden  even  to  do  good,  to  help  the  sick,  to  minister  to  any 
who  might  meet  with  dangerous  accident,  to  save  even  from  destruction  on  the 
Sabbath  day.  Such  injunctions,  prohibitions  and  permissions  were  never  known 
to  any  other  hierarchy,  and  were  so  restrictive  and  unreasonable  as  to  exhibit  the 
Jewish  mind  in  its  wildest  eccentricity. 

After  performing  the  miracle,  Jesus  disappeared  by  mixing  with  the  multitude 
which  thronged  about  the  pool,  but  the  man  who  was  healed  was  quickly  seen  as 


JKSUS  HEAI.ING  THE  IMPOTENT  MAN.— Drawn  by  Bida. 


(299) 


300  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

he  made  his  way  out  of  the  crowd  carrying  his  pallet  under  his  arm.  The  Jews 
promptly  challenged  him  by  saying,  "  It  is  not  lawful  for  thee  to  carry  thy  bed  on 
the  Sabbath  day."  To  which  the  restored  man  answered,  "He  that  made  me 
whole,  the  same  said,  Take  up  thy  bed  and  walk,"  rightly  divining  that  one  who 
had  such  mastery  over  disease  was  master  also  of  human  laws,  and  above  the  sense- 
less proscriptions  of  the  insincere  Pharisees  and  Sadducees. 

The  one  who  had  been  thus  miraculously  healed  did  not  know  his  benefactor 
and  had  not  even  suspicioned  that  it  was  the  Messiah  who  had  been  creating  such 
excitement  in  Galilee  by  His  Divine  power  over  human  afflictions  ;  but  soon  after 
he  saw  Jesus  in  the  Temple,  and  approached  Him,  no  doubt,  to  make  some 
acknowledgment  of  his  great  gratitude,  but  was  answered,  "Behold,  thou  art 
made  whole  :  sin  no  more,  lest  a  worst  thing  come  unto  thee."  Thereupon  the 
man  went  at  once  to  some  of  the  Jews  and  pointed  out  to  them  Jesus  as  the  one 
who  had  healed  him. 

The  word  went  quickly  from  mouth  to  mouth,  "There  is  the  culprit :  there 
is  the  one  who  violates  the  Sabbath  and  casts  out  devils  and  heals  the  sick  in  the 
name  of  Beelzebub.  There  is  the  one  who  binds  up  the  broken-hearted,  who 
breaks  the  strong  seal  of  death,  but  who  berates  us  as  mockers  of  God,  and  who 
exposes  the  hollow  pretences  of  the  rabbis,  and  the  vanity  of  our  ceremonials. 
Eet  us  forthwith  accuse  Him  and  make  Him  answerable  before  the  law. ' '  All 
dissensions  and  rancorous  hatreds  which  dissevered  the  Pharisees  and  Sad- 
ducees, and  the  rabbis  and  priests,  were  subordinated  for  the  time  being  to 
the  one  great  desire  for  the  conviction  of  what  they  regarded  as  their  common 
enemy. 

It  is  not  so  stated  by  John,  but  the  inference  is  plain  that  Jesus  was  arrested 
and  brought  to  answer  before  the  authorities  on  the  charge  of  Sabbath-breaking. 
Serene  before  His  judges  He  made  a  defence  which  brought  consternation  to  His 
accusers.  He  did  not  denounce  them  in  speech  of  fury  or  fiery  condemnation,  but 
proclaiming  Himself  as  the  Son  of  God,  He  announced  that  His  purpose  was  to 
offer  to  them  the  means  of  salvation  through  belief  in  Him.  When  they  answered 
that  this  was  only  testimony  of  Himself  and  blasphemy  of  God,  He  condemned  them 
by  citing  the  laws  of  Moses  and  what  was  written  concerning  Him  by  that  great  law- 
giver :  that  further,  He  of  Himself  could  do  nothing  except  by  the  aid  of  God,  and 
therefore  the  wonders  which  He  performed  were  done  by  the  favor  and  the  aid  of 
His  Heavenly  Father.  "  I  can  of  mine  own  self  do  nothing  :  as  I  hear,  I  judge  : 
and  my  judgment  is  just :  because  I  seek  not  mine  own  will,  but  the  will  of  the 
Father  which  hath  sent  Me.  John  was  sent  as  a  witness  to  declare  Me  to  you,  but 
him  you  rejected  as  you  now  reject  Me,  but  I  have  greater  witness  than  John,  for 
the  works  which  I  do  is  the  testimony  of  God,  from  whom  alone  power  is  given 
Me.     If  you  reject  Me  so  then  must  you  reject  Him  who  hath  sent  Me." 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


301 


So  well  did  Jesus  answer  His  accusers  that,  though  they  were  more  inflamed 
against  Him,  and  resolved  to  pursue  Him  to  His  death,  they  released  Him  for  the 
time,  thinking  that  some  occasion  thereafter  would  be  more  fit  to  bring  Him  to  a 
final  judgment. 

The  hostility  against  Jesus  had  now  become  so  fierce  that  He  quit  Jerusalem 
and  started  back  towards  Capernaum,  traveling  afoot,  as  He  invariably  did.  He 
may  have  hoped  to  escape  His  persecutors,  or  else  suffered,  for  Divine  purpose, 
the  abuse  of  His  enemies  to  continue  ;  but  the  Pharisees  and  rabbis,  like  sleuth- 
hounds  upon  the  trail,  never  abandoned  their  infamous  design  upon  His  life. 
They  kept  detectives  on  His  track  to  report  all  His  doings  and  to  accuse  Him  for 
every  infrac- 
tion against 
the  austere 
laws  and  cus- 
toms govern- 
ing social  as 
well  as  public 
life,  and  other- 
wise adopted 
ever)^  expedi- 
ent to  bring 
Him  into  dis- 
repute with 
His  followers. 
Shortly  af- 
ter leaving  Je- 
rusalem, while 
with  His  dis- 
ciples passing 
through  some 

part  of  Galilee  on  a  Sabbath  day.  His  route  lay  through  a  field  of  ripening 
corn.  T.'^v  were  '?ry  hungry,  no  doubt  from  observing  the  custom  of  fasting 
on  the  Sab-^.Pth,  and  in?y  availed  themselves  of  the  privilege  which  custom  granted 
of  plucking  v-.iough  grain  to  partially  satisfy  their  cravings.  The  Sabbatical  law 
prohibited  eat  ng  before  moir>ing  sen'ice,  and  supper  was  not  permitted  until  after 
evening  servnc*. .  but  ignoring  this,  as  He  had  other  senseless  ceremonies  and 
super-rigid  custoais,  Jesus  permitted  its  violation  and  had  no  word  of  criticism  for 
His  disciples,  even  when  they  shelled  the  grain  for  eating,  after  plucking  the  ears. 
The  spies  who  witnessed  this  breach  of  the  law  made  quick  report  of  it  to  the 
Pharisees,  who  in  turn  at  once  condemned  Him  for  the  infraction,  and  considered 


TABLE   OF   SHEWBREAD. 


302  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

death  by  stoning  as  a  worthy  punishment  therefor.  Jesus  replied  to  their  accusa- 
tions by  reciting,  in  defence  of  His  conduct,  the  incident  of  David,  who,  when 
fleeing  from  Saul,  and  pressed  by  hunger,  seized  upon  some  shewbread,  upon 
which  he  satisfied  his  hunger,  though  it  was  not  lawful  for  any  save  the  priests  to 
eat  such  consecrated  food.  And  Jesus  also  reminded  them  that  the  priests  per- 
formed their  appointed  duties  on  the  Sabbath,  yet  they  were  not  accounted  as 
desecrating  the  day.  Natural  laws  are  above  the  rules  which  men  may  adopt, 
and  it  is  lawful  therefore  to  satisfy  the  necessities  of  the  body,  and  if  priests  may 
officiate  at  service  and  discharge  their  duties  on  the  Sabbath  in  the  Temple,  how 
much  greater  right  has  the  Son  of  God  and  His  servants  to  perform  their  ministra- 
tions, whether  to  the  body  or  the  soul,  and  whether  on  the  week  day  or  the  Sab- 
bath, for  "  the  Sabbath  was  made  for  man,  and  not  man  for  the  Sabbath." 

As  Schenkel  observes,  and  quoted  by  Geikie,  ' '  The  lowering  schoolmen  of 
the  day,  and  the  priestly  party,  felt  themselves  threatened  in  their  most  cherished 
hopes,  wishes  and  interests,  The  breach  between  them  and  Jesus  had  been  final, 
since  His  half-contemptuous  words  about  the  old  garment  and  the  new  bottles. 
They  had  marked  Him,  definitely,  as  opposed  to  traditional  rabbinism,  as  a  dan- 
gerous agitator,  as  an  enemy  of  the  '  Hedge  of  the  Law, "  the  glory  of  successive 
generations  of  rabbis.  The  hierarchy  would  have  at  once  indicted  Him  publicly, 
but  for  His  wide  popularity  :  the  devotion  felt  for  Him  by  the  multitude  He  had 
healed  and  comforted  ;  the  transparent  singleness  of  His  aims  and''  labors  ;  the 
greatness  and  dignity  of  His  character,  which  enforced  reverence,  and  His  divine 
humility  and  lowliness  of  heart,  which  made  Him  so  unassailable. ' ' 

Paralysis  Pulsates  into  Health. 

The  carpings,  the  accusings  and  the  condemnings  of  the  Pharisees  could  have 
no  effect  on  Jesus,  who  pursued  his  way  utterly  regardless  of  the  hostility  which 
he  had  provoked.  When  His  enemies  openly  criticised  His  practices  He  turned 
aside  only  long  enough  to  administer  to  them  a  trenchant  rebuke,  by  way  of 
appeals  to  the  highest  reason,  to  the  law,  to  precedent  and  to  human  necessities, 
leaving  them  covered  with  confusion,  and  then  renewing  His  labors  of  mercy  with 
the  same  placidity  and  kindness  of  disposition  He  had  before  displayed. 

His  popularity  with  the  masses  prevented  the  Pharisees  from  closing  the 
synagogues  to  Jesus,  who  on  occasions  continued  to  preach  in  them  on  the  Sab- 
bath day,  and  invariably  to  large  audiences.  Soon  after  His  last  conflict  with  the 
Pharisees  He  repaired  to  a  synagogue  to  conduct  the  customary  Sabbath  service, 
followed  of  course  by  many  scribes  and  Pharisees  who  watched  continually  for 
fresh  opportunities  to  expose  Him  as  a  law-breaker.  After  the  congregation  had 
been  seated  the  attention  of  Jesus  was  directed  towards  a  man  whose  right  hand 
had  withered    under   the  blast  of  a  stroke  of  paralysis,   and  which    now  hung 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


303 


shriveled  and  useless  by  his  side.  With  Christ,  to  do  good  at  all  times  and  on 
all  occasions  was  fitting,  and  in  this  sanctuary  it  was  to  Him  especially  appropriate 
to  perform  a  gracious  deed,  v/hich,  while  showing  forth  His  divine  power  as  the 
Son  of  God,  and  therefore  the  righteous  teacher,  would  also  condemn  anew  the 
hypocrites  who  were  content  with  obser\ang  laws  which  shut  them  out  from  a  true 
conception  of  the  mercy  and  goodness  of  God.  He  therefore  asked  the  afflicted 
man  to  stand  up  in  the  midst  of  the  congregation,  and  then  turning  to  the  rabbis 
by  His  side  He  asked  them,  "  Is  it  lawful  to  do  good,  or  to  do  evil :  to  save  life 
or  to  destroy?  "  But  the  vain-glorious  and  self-rigliteous  teachers  were  afraid  to 
answer  Him  before  the  people,  for  they  had  measured  their  lances  with  Him  too 
many  times  before,  and  suffered  inglorious  defeat  as  often,  to  give  occasion  for 
their  exposure  and  discomfiture  before  those  whom  they  were  secretly  seeking  to 
prejudice  against  Him.  Finding  them  silent  under  His  questionings,  Jesus  then 
asked  them  if  it  was  not  lawful  to  help  a  sheep  out  of  a  pit  on  the  Sabbath  day  ? 
This  was  pennitted  under  the  law,  therefore  said  He,  ' '  How  much  better  is  a 
man  than  a  sheep  !  "  But  still  they  made  no  answer.  Then,  by  way  of  more 
emphatically  illustrating  His  lesson  of  mercy,  He  said  to  the  man  with  a  withered 
hand,  "Stretch  forth  thy  hand,"  which  being  done,  immediately  the  withered 
member  became  whole  and  was  infused  again  with  the  power  that  had  long  before 
departed. 

Before  such  a  miracle  the  people  must  have  applauded  :  some  who  before  felt 
doubts  were  convicted,  some  who  before  had  been  drawn  to  Him  by  curiosity 
must  have  now  believed  on  Him,  and  there  was  glory-giving,  and  praise  offering  ; 
and  vows  of  devotion  were  sent  up  by  many  of  the  congregation  ;  but  the  worldly- 
ambitious  scribes,  Pharisees,  priests  and  rabbis  sat  scowling  and  spiteful  under 
the  Divine  exhibition,  their  hearts  full  of  pollution  and  murderous  desires,  which 
were  restrained  only  by  fear  of  those  who  accepted  Him. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

FOLDING   UP    A    CYCLONE    OF    GENNESARET. 

©ENNESARET,  Tiberias,  Galilee— three  names  for  the  same  lake. 
No  other  gem  ever  had  so  beautiful  a  setting.  It  lay  in  a  scene  of 
great  luxuriance ;  the  surrounding  hills  high,  terraced,  sloped, 
grooved,  so  many  hanging  gardens -of  beauty,  the  waters  rumbling 
down  between  rocks  of  gray  and  red  limestone,  flashing  from  the  hills  and 
bounding  into  the  sea.  On  the  shore  were  castles,  armed  towers,  Roman  baths, 
everything  attractive  and  beautiful ;  all  styles  of  vegetation  in  shorter  space 
than  in  almost  any  other  spot  in  ail  the  world,  from  the  palm-tree  of  the  forest  to 
the  trees  of  rigorous  climate. 

It  seems  as  if  the  L,ord  had  launched  one  wave  of  beauty  on  all  the  scene, 
and  it  hung  and  swing  from  rock  and  hill  ancl  oleander.  Roman  gentlemen  in 
pleasure  boats  sailmg  the  lake,  and  countrymen  m  fishing  smacks  coming  down 
to  drop  their  nets,  pass  each  other  with  nod  and  shout  and  laughter,  or  swinging 
idly  at  their  moorings.     Oh,  what  a  wonderful,  what  a  beautiful  lake  ! 

It  seems  as  if  we  shall  have  a  quiet  night.  Not  a  leaf  trembles  in  the  air ; 
not  a  ripple  disturbs  the  face  of  Gennesaret ;  but  there  seems  to  be  a  little 
excitement  up  the  beach,  and  we  hasten  to  see  what  it  is,  and  wc  find  it  an 
embarkation. 

From  the  western  shore  a  flotilla  pushing  out ;  not  a  squadron,  or  deadly 
armament,  or  clipper  with  valuable  merchandise,  or  piratic  vessels  ready  to 
destroy  everything  they  can  seize  ;  but  a  flotilla,  bearing  messengers  of  life,  and 
light  and  peace.  Christ  and  His  disciples  are  in  a  boat,  and  He  weary  with 
much  speaking  is  put  into  somnolence  by  the  rocking  of  the  waves.  If  there  was 
any  motion  at  all,  if  the  wind  passed  from  starboard  to  larboard,  or  from  larboard 
to  starboard,  the  boat  would  rock,  and  by  the  gentleness  of  the  motion  put  the 
Master  asleep.  And  they  extemporized  a  pillow  made  out  of  a  fisherman's  coat. 
I  think  no  sooner  is  Christ  prostrate,  and  His  head  touched  the  pillow,  than  He 
is  sound  asleep.  The  breezes  of  the  lake  run  their  fingers  through  the  locks  of 
the  worn  sleeper,  and  the  boat  rises  and  falls  like  a  sleeping  child  on  the  bosom 
of  a  sleeping  mother. 

Calm  night,  starry  night,  beautiful  night.  Run  up  all  the  sails,  ply  all  the 
oars,  and  let  the  large  boat  and  the  small  boat  glide  over  gentle  Gennesaret. 
But  the  sailors  say  there  is  going  to  be  a  change  of  weather.      And  even  the 

(304) 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


305 


passengers  can  hear  the  moaning  of  the  storm,  as  it  comes  on  with  great  stride, 
and  all  the  terrors  of  cyclone  and  darkness.  The  large  boat  trembles  like  a  deer 
at  bay  among  the  clangor  of  the  hounds  ;  great  patches  of  foam  are  flung  into 
the  air  ;  the  sails  of  the  vessel  loosen,  and  in  the  strong  wind  crack  like  pistols  ; 
the  smaller  boats  like  petrels  poise  on  the  cliflF  of  the  waves  and  then  plunge. 

Overboard  go  cargo,  tackling  and  ma.sts,  and  the  drenched  disciples  rush 
into  the  back  part  of  the  boat,  and  lay  hold  of  Christ,  and  say  unto  Him  : 
"Master,  carest  Thou  not  that  we  perish?"  That  great  personage  lifts  His 
head  from  the  pillo'v  of  the  fisherman's  coat,  walks  to  the  front  of  the  vessel, 


To.MISS   CARVKD   IN   THK    ROi.  i 

and  looks  out  into  the  storm.  All  around  Him  are  the  smaller  boats,  driven  in 
the  tempest,  and  through  it  comes  the  cry  of  drowning  men.  By  the  flash  of 
lightning  I  see  the  calm  brow  of  Christ  as  the  spray  dropped  from  His  beard. 
He  has  one  word  for  the  sky  and  another  for  the  waves.  Looking  upward  He 
cries:   "Peace!"     Looking  downward  He  .says  :   "Be  still." 

The  waves  crouch  like  whipt  spaniels  at  His  feet.  The  extinguished  stars 
relighv;  their  torches,  The  tempest  falls  dead.  Christ  stands  with  His  foot  on 
the  neck  of  the  storm.  And  while  the  sailors  are  bailing  out  the  boats,  and  while 
they  arc  tr\Mng  to  untangle  the  cordage,  the  disciples  stand  in  amazement,  now 


3o6  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

looking  into  the  calm  sea,  then  into  the  cahn  sky,  then  into  the  calm  Saviour's 
countenance,  and  they  cry  out:  "What  manner  of  man  is  this,  that  even  the 
winds  and  the  sea  obey  Him  ?  ' ' 

Dethroned  Reason  Crowned  Again. 

How  softly  dropped  down  the  gentle  breezes  when  the  storm-giant  had  sped 
away,  and  clasping  the  sails  in  their  arms  they  bore  the  boats  lightly  over  the 
becalmed  waters  until  the  pebbly  bank  of  Gadara  was  reached.  But  scarcely  had 
the  boats  touched  shore  when,  instead  of  joyful  welcome  to  the  tired  and  perse- 
cuted Christ,  He  was  received  by  two.  insane  persons,  one  of  whom  was  the  most 
miserable  and  loathsome  object  that  was  ever  ctothed  in  the  form  of  manhood. 
Not  a  vestment  covered  his  befouled,  lacerated  and  distorted  body ;  his 
bedraggled  beard  and  hair  were  tl\e  repository  of  grime  and  filth  that  had  not 
been  cleansed  in  years,  and  his  eyes  flamed  with  wild  distemper,  reflecting  the 
distraction  and  delirium  of  reason  for  a  long  time  dethroned.  With  the  strength 
and  boldness  of  a  maniac  he  and  his  unfortunate  companion  had  terrorized  the 
whole  country  thereabouts,  and  there  was  added  to  the  fear  which  his  frenzy  and 
diabolism  inspired  the  superstitious  regard  of  the  people  who,  because  the 
demoniacs  had  taken  up  their  abode  among  sepulchres  and  grave  stones,  believed 
that  they  were  in  league  with  Satan. 

Miserable,  brain-racked,  frantic  bedlamite  as  one  of  these  poor  possessed 
men  was,  at  intervals  a  ray  of  reason  pierced  for  a  short  time  the  darkness  of  his 
intellect,  and  during  these  brief  lucid  moments,  he  would  cry  out  for  relief  from 
his  great  torment.  It  was  in  one  of  these  intervals  of  consciousness  that  the 
demoniac  met  Jesus,  as  the  great  physician  stepped  out  of  the  boat,  and  through 
some  unexplained  power — possibly  divine  revealment — the  unfortunate  immedi- 
ately recognized  Him  as  the  Lord  and  fell  down  in  worshipful  attitude,  hoping  to 
be  released  from  his  tormentors.  Though  conscious  of  the  Divine  presence,  the 
man  was  not  permitted  to  speak  his  own  desires  and  confessions,  being  apparently 
so  completely  under  the  control  of  devils  that  these  made  him  cry  out  in  speech 
for  them,  ' '  What  have  I  to  do  with  Thee,  Jesus,  Thou  Son  of  the  Most  High 
God?  Art  Thou  come  hither  to  torment  us  before  the  time?  I  adjure  Thee,  by 
God,  that  Thou  torment  me  not."  Therefore  addressing  the  devils,  Jesus  asked  : 
"  What  is  thy  name?  "  to  which  the  response  was  made  :  "  My  name  is  Legion, 
for  we  are  many." 

The  devils  recognized  the  omnipotent  power  of  Jesus  and  knew  Him  to  be 
their  implacable  adversary  sent  into  the  world  to  save  men  from  evil  influence, 
and  that  the  time  for  their  casting-out  was  now  at  hand.  They  therefore  begged  of 
Him  "  that  He  would  not  send  them  away  out  of  the  country,  nor  command  them 
to  go  out  into  the  deep."     A  herd  of  swine  were  on  the  hill-side  not  far  away. 


RAISING  THK    . 


(307) 


3o8  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

and  into  these  the  devils  besought  the  Eord  that  they  might  be  sent,  which  was 
accordingly  done.  No  sooner  had  the  word  "Go"  been  spoken  than  the  two 
thousand  broke  into  panic  and  in  mad  distraction  fled  down  a  steep  place  and  into 
the  sea,  where  they  all  quickly  perished,  while  the  now  dispossessed  demoniac 
crouched  in  gratitude  at  Jesus'  feet  clothed  in  a  restored  mind. 

The  Gadarenes  were  herders  of  swine,  which  was,  indeed,  their  principal 
occupation.  They  not  only  ate  the  flesh  so  strongly  prohibited  by  their  Jewish 
neighbors,  but  ofiered  swine  in  their  sacrifices,  and  were  therefore  looked  upon 
with  profound  contempt  by  the  Jews,  and  their  religious  customs  were  regarded 
as  abominations.  The  manner  of  restoring  the  demoniac,  involving  as  it  did 
such  great  destruction  of  swine,  is  difiicult  to  explain  unless  we  accept  it  as  a 
lesson  which  Christ  imparted  to  both  His  disciples  and  the  Gadarenes,  as  show- 
ing His  approval  of  the  Jewish  laws  prohibiting  the  use  of  pork  and  the  raising 
of  swine.  It  may  have  been  also  His  purpose  to  fix,  by  such  illustrations,  the 
relationship  of  devils  with  scavengers  and  all  manner  of  pollution,  in  order  to 
make  them  the  more  repugnant  in  our  estimation,  and  thereby  to  fortify  us 
the  better  against  their  insinuations,  whatever  guise  they  may  adopt. 

The  Gadarenes,  while  astounded  at  the  miracle  which  had  been  performed, 
regarded  the  loss  of  their  swine  more  than  the  possible  good  of  Christ's  teach- 
ings, for  they  were  a  most  debased  and  ignorant  people,  and  instead  of  receiving 
Him,  besought  Him  to  immediately  leave  their  country.  For  some  reason, 
Jesus  decided  to  forthwith  return  to  Capernaum,  but  as  He  stepped  again  into- 
the  boat,  the  restored  man,  with  heart  overflowing  with  thankfulness,  prayed 
for  permission  to  accompany  his  Saviour.  This  Jestis  did  not  permit,  for  seeing 
in  the  subject  a  possible  missionary  in  His  cause.  He  was  told  to  "go  home 
to  thy  friends  and  tell  them  how  great  things  the  Lord  hath  done  for  thee, 
and  hath  compassion  on  thee."  Therefore,  Decapolis  rang  for  a  time  with 
praise  of  Jesus  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  restored  demoniac,  who  proclaimed  to- 
every  one  the  merciful  and  mighty  deed  which  the  Lord  had  done  for  him. 

White  Lily  of  Death  Blushes  into  Red  Rose  of  Life. 

When  Jesus  returned  to  Capernaum,  a  great  multitude  met  Him  with 
heart}'  welcome,  for  it  was  with  grief  that  they  had  seen  Him  depart  from 
them,  not  knowing  when  He  would  come  back.  Many  of  these  anxious  waiters 
were  sufferers  from  distressing  afflictions  which  they  knew  Christ  alone  could 
heal,  while  others  were  firm  believers  and  friends  who  constantly  craved  His 
presence.  But  scarcely  had  He  stepped  on  .shore  and  met  the  glad  tidings  of 
the  joyous  crowd  when  He  was  surprised  by  the  urgent  petition  of  a  chief 
ruler  of  the  synagogue,  Jairus  by  name,  who,  falling  at  His  feet,  begged  Him 
with  words    and    tears  of  extreme  di.stress    to  come  at  once  to  his    house  and 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE.  309 

heal  his  dying  daughter.  What  a  condescending  from  the  hard  and  cruel 
plottings  and  the  murderous  jealousies  of  his  party,  who  were  now  employing 
all  niaiuier  of  means  to  compass  the  destruction  of  Jesus !  Being  one  of  the 
hierarchal  rulers  and  church  dignitaries,  Jairus  must  have  joined  with  his 
colleagues  in  a  persecution  of  Him  whose  aid  he  now  sought.  But  how  the 
lowering  brow  of  insolence  uplifts;  and  the  eye  of  anger  pales,  and  the  rigid 
lip  of  scorn  turns  to  quivers  under  the  stroke  of  affliction.  And  so  with  Jairus ; 
ready  to  condemn,  to  persecute,  to  destroy  at  the  instigation  of  worldly  prefer- 
ment, he  now  discovers  the  emptiness  of  power,  the  mockery  of  ambition,  as 
death  stands  in  his  doorway  demanding  the  sacrifice  of  his  daughter.  The 
hand  that  was  uplifted  to  strike  is  now  extended  to  implore  ;  the  heart  that 
was  filled  with  bitter  hate,  now  opens  and  pours  out  its  devotion  ;  the  tongue 
that  was  loosed  to  imprecation,  now  gives  utterance  to  praise.  "And  when 
Jairus  saw  Jesus  he  fell  at  His  feet,  and  worshiped  Him,  and  besought  Him 
greatly,  saying,  '  My  little  daughter  (for  he  had  only  one  daughter,  about 
twelve  years  of  age)  lieth  at  the  point  of  death  ;  I  pray  Thee  come  and  lay 
Thy  hands  on  her,  that  she  may  be  healed,  and  she  shall  live.'  " 

To  this  appeal  Jesus  was  all  sympathy,  and  without  stopping  to  remind 
Jairus  of  the  malignant  spirit  that  actuated  His  enemies,  or  to  ask  him  if  indeed 
he  felt  contrition,  or  making  belief  on  Him  a  condition  of  His  healing  the  child, 
Jesus  set  forth  presently  for  the  house  of  affliction.  But  as  they  drew  near  the 
voice  of  lamentation  and  the  soft  whistle  of  dirge-flutes  broke  upon  the  ear, 
giving  funereal  announcement.  How  the  heart  of  Jairus  must  have  sunk,  and  all 
his  energies  been  wrung  into  weakness,  and  existence  have  become  to  him  an 
agony,  as  he  thought  of  hisf only  daughter  in  life  ;  her  sweet  laugh,  dancing  feet, 
lute-like  voice,  cheering  caress  and  love-lighted  eyes  ;  and  then  contrasted  the 
happy  days  when  she  bounded  before  him  in  glowing  health,  with  the  pall,  the 
cerements,  the  wails  that  now  hung  over  the  pulseless  body  of  his  child,  the 
crushed  and  decayed  blossom  of  his  pride  and  hope  ;  the  feet  that  would  dance  no 
more,  the  caresses  that  would  never  be  repeated,  and  the  loving  eyes  that  were 
closed  till  they  open  again  in  the  light  of  a  fadeless  morning. 

Jesus  saw  how  Jairus's  heart  was  bleeding,  and  He  turned  with  a  look  of 
divine  compassion  when  one  came  out  of  the  house  to  meet  the  sorrowing  father 
with  the  news,  ' '  Thy  daughter  is  dead  ;  trouble  not  the  Master, ' '  and  rescued 
him  from  the  overwhelming  tidal- wave  of  grief  by  saying  to  him  :  "  Fear  not, 
believe  only,  and  she  shall  be  made  whole." 

It  was  the  custom  among  the  Jews  to  begin  preparations  for  burial  imme- 
diately after  death  ensued,  so  that  when  Jesus  appeared  at  the  house  the  body 
may  have  been  laid  out  wrapped  in  its  cerements  only  awaiting  Jairus's  return 
to  proceed  with  the  interment.     All  this,  while    loud  lamentations    of  relations 


3IO  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

and  friends  broke  from  the  house  of  mourning,  left  no  chance  of  doubting  that 
the  child  was  indeed  dead.  Jesus  paused  on  the  threshold  and  forbade  any  one 
entering  the  room  of  death  except  Peter,  James,  John  and  the  father  and  mother. 
Then  entering  and  approaching  the  body.  He  gazed  upon  the  pallid  features  for  a 
moment  as  if  reflecting  upon  the  solemnity  of  death,  after  which  He  turned  3.nd 
said,  "  Weep  not :  she  is  not  dead,  but  sleepeth."  Instead  of  accepting  His 
words  in  confidence,  or  understanding  the  true  meaning  of  His  declaration,  they 
that  were  present  made  a  scornful  reply.  At  this  Jesus  bade  them  all  leave  the 
room  a  moment,  and  being  now  alone  with  the  damsel,  He  took  her  by  the  hand 
and  as  one  having  power  over  death  as  well  as  over  disease.  He  commanded  her  to 
rise.  As  He  spoke  the  death-angel  knew  His  voice  .and  returned  again  with  the 
spirit,  which  was  given  back  to  the  maid  and  she  arose  in  perfect  health,  hungry 
from  the  fast  of  sleep.  When  Jesus  restored  her  to  the  arms  of  her  overjoyed 
parents.  He  only  charged  them  to  tell  no  one  of  what  He  had  done. 

Sensitive  to  a  Touch. 

But  while  on  the  way  to  Jairus's  house  another  wondrous  miracle  was  per- 
formed, which  startled  the  multitude  that  followed  Him  with  reverent  amazement. 
While  going  to  minister  in  the  house  of  a  rich  or  influential  man,  to  raise  up 
the  dead  and  bind  up  a  wound  of  immeasurable  depth,  He  gives  of  His  healing 
virtue  to  a  poor  woman,  who  had  secretly  sought  His  all-powerful  aid. 

A  great  crowd  of  excited  people  elbowing  each  other  this  way  and  that,  and 
Christ  in  the  midst  of  the  commotion.  They  were  on  the  way  to  see  Him  restore 
to  complete  health  a  dying  person.  Some  thought  He  could  effect  the  cure,  others 
that  He  could  not.  At  any  rate,  it  would  be  an  interesting  experiment.  A  very 
sick  woman  of  twelve  years'  invalidism  is  in  the  crowd.  Some  say  her  name  was 
Martha,  others  say  it  was  Veronica.  I  do  not  know  what  her  name  was  ;  but 
this  is  certain  :  she  had  tried  all  styles  of  cure.  Every  shelf  of  her  humble  home 
had  medicines  on  it.  She  had  employed  many  of  the  doctors  of  that  time  when 
medical  science  was  more  rude  and  rough  and  ignorant  than  we  can  imagine  in 
this  time,  when  the  word  physician  or  surgeon  stands  for  potent  and  educated 
skill.  Professor  Lightfoot  gives  a  list  of  what  he  supposes  may  have  been  the 
remedies  she  had  applied.  I  suppose  she  had  been  blistered  from  head  to  foot,  and 
had  tried  the  compress,  and  had  used  all  styles  of  astringent  herbs,  and  had  been 
mauled  and  hacked  and  cut  and  lacerated  until  life  to  her  was  a  plague.  Beside 
that,  the  Bible  indicates  her  doctors'  bills  had  run  up  frightfull}^  and  she  had 
paid  money  for  medicines  and  for  surgical  attendance  and  for  hygienic  apparatus 
until  her  purse  was  as  exhausted  as  her  body. 

What,  poor  woman,  are  you  doing  in  that  jostling  crowd?  Better  go  home 
and  to  bed  and  nurse  vour  disorders.     No  !    Wan  and  wasted  and  faint  she  stands 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


311 


there,  her  tace  distorted  with  suffering,  and  ever  and   anon  biting  her  lip  with 


jiiSUS  BI^ESSING  THE  RESTORKD  WOMAN. — Drawu  b}'  Bida. 
some  acute  pain,  and  sobbing  until  her  tears  fall   from  the  hollow  eye  upon  the 
faded  dress  ;  only  able  to  stand  because  the  crowd  is  so  close  to  her,  pushing  her 


312  FROM    MANGER   TO    THRONE. 

this  way  and  tliat.  Stand  back  !  Why  do  you  crowd  that  poor  body  ?  Hare 
you  no  consideration  for  a  dying  woman  ?  But  just  at  that  time  the  crowd  parte 
and  this  invalid  comes  ahnost  up  to  Christ ;  but  she  is  behind  Him  and  His 
human  eye  does  not  take  her  in.  She  has  heard  so  much  about  His  kindness  to 
the  sick,  and  she  does  feel  so  wretched,  she  thinks  if  she  can  only  just  touch  Him 
once  it  will  do  her  good.  She  will  not  touch  Him  on  the  sacred  head,  for  that 
might  be  irreverent.  She  will  not  touch  Him  on  the  hand,  for  that  might  seem  too 
familiar.  She  says  :  "I  will,  I  think,  touch  Him  on  His  coat,  not  on  top  of  it 
or  on  the  bottom  of  the  main  fabric,  but  on  the  border,  the  blue  border,  the  long 
threads  of  the  fringe  of  that  blue  border  ;  there  can  be  no  harm  in  that.  I  don't 
think  He  will  hurt  me,  I  have  heard  so  much  about  Him.  Beside  that,  I  can 
stand  this  no  longer.  Twelve  years  of  sufifering  have  worn  me  out.  This  is 
my  last  hope."  And  she  presses  through  the  crowd  still  further  and  reaches 
for  Christ,  but  cannot  quite  touch  Him.  She  pushes  still  further  through  the 
crowd  and  kneels  and  puts  her  finger  to  the  edge  of  the  blue  fringe  of  the 
border.  She  just  touches  it.  Quick  as  an  electric  shock  there  thrilled  back 
into  her  shattered  nerves  and  shrunken  veins  and  exhausted  arteries  and  pant- 
ing lungs  and  withered  muscles,  health,  beautiful  health,  rubicund  health — 
God-given  and  complete  health.  ^  Twelve  years'  march  of  pain  and  pang  and 
suffering  over  suspension -bridge  of  nerve  and  through  tunnel  of  bone  instantly 
halted. 

Christ  recognizes  somehow  that  magnetic  and  healthful  influence  through 
the  medium  of  the  blue  fringe  of  His  garment  had  shot  out.  He  turns  and  looks 
upon  that  excited  crowd,  and  startles  them  with  the  well-known  interrogatory  : 
"  Who  touched  Me?"  The  insolent  crowd  in  substance  replied,  "  How  do  we 
know  ?  You  get  in  a  crowd  like  this  and  you  must  expect  to  be  jostled.  You 
ask  us  a  question  you  know  we  cannot  answer."  But  the  roseate  and  rejuvenated 
woman  came  up  and  knelt  in  front  of  Christ,  and  told  of  the  touch,  and  told  of 
the  restoration,  and  Jesus  said:  "Daughter,  thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole. 
Go  in  peace."     So  Mark  gives  us  a  dramatization  of  the  Gospel. 

Optic  Nerves  Wakened. 

The  stopping  of  a  poor  woman's  hemorrhage,  and  restoring  to  life  of  Jairus's 
daughter  served  to  increase  His  fame  among  the  people,  but  it  increased  the  bit- 
terness of  His  foes.  Every  step  forward  in  the  affections  of  the  multitude  was, 
to  the  Pharisees  and  rabbis,  made  at  the  expense  of  their  popularity.  Jesus  was 
increasing  while  they  were  decreasing  ;  to  relax  their  persecutions  or  their  con- 
tumacious bearing  would  but  hasten  the  threatened  downfall  of  their  influence, 
hence  their  continued  activity  in  propagating  unbelief  in  Him,  bj'  ascribing  His 
acts  to  power  borrowed  from  Satan.     And  over  all  Galilee  and  Tudah  these  tares 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


313 


of  enmity  and  malicious  jealousy  were  sown  by  active  hands.     But  Christ  departed 
not  from  His  holy  purpose  either  to  placate  enemies  or  gratify  friends.     His  mercy 


i,         ,  ,     i::        ^.i    -IB    MAN    roS.SESSKD   OK    A    DEVII^.^I 

and  His  love  were  alike  boundless,  and  the  field  of  His  labors  all  the  world,  recog- 
nizing no  distinctions  either  in  class  or  religion,  in  poverty  or  wealth,  in  influ- 
ence or  obscurity. 


314  FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

As  He  came  out  of  the  house  of  Jairus,  the  great  throng  pressed  about  Him 
ac  before  and  among  those  who  followed  in  the  long  train  of  afflicted  persons 
were  two  blind  men  who  ceased  not  to  hail  Him  as  the  Messiah,  and  to  cry  to 
Him,  ''Thou  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  us."  Jesus  saw  that  the  faith 
of  these  two  unfortunates  was  indeed  great,  and  He  therefore  rewarded  their 
trustfulness  by  touching  their  eyes  and  saying  to  them,  "According  to  your 
faith  be  it  unto  you,"  and  immediately  the  darkness  in  which  they  had  long 
groped  was  dispelled,  beclouded  vision  became  glorious  sight,  so  that  though 
they  were  warned  against  speaking  of  the  mercy  that  had  been  shown  them, 
their  joy  and  gratitude  were  so  great  that  tongue  could  not  withhold  praise- 
giving. 

Soon  after,  possibly  immediately  after,  a  dumb  demoniac  was  brought  to 
Jesus,  a  poor  unfortunate  who  was  not  only  deprived  of  the  power  of  speech,  but 
who  was  also  possessed  of  a  devil,  so  that  his  mind  was  distracted  and  he  was 
only  a  gibbering  idiot.  Such  an  object  of  human  affliction  appealed  so  strongly 
to  the  Divine  healer,  whose  heart  was  the  fountain  from  whence  flowed  only 
mercy  and  compassion,  that  He  cast  out  the  devil  and  gave  speech  to  the  tongue 
that  had  moved  for  years  without  expression.  Thousands  saw  how  with  a  word 
the  speechless  idiot  had  been  made  a  sane  man  and  heard  Him  utter  words  of 
generous  thankfulness,  and  again  the  multitude  marveled,  saying,  "No  such 
things  were  ever  done  before  by  any  one  in  Israel."  But  the  Pharisees  were 
ready  with  an  explanation,  and  they  went  about  among  the  crowd  declaring,  with 
blatant  avowals,  ' '  He  casteth  out  devils  through  the  prince  of  devils. ' '  Jesus 
had  answered  this  accusation  more  than  once  and  confused  his  critics  by  their 
own  admissions,  but  for  want  of  a  better  explanation  they  continued  still  to  use 
this  one,  to  which  Jesus  did  not  make  any  further  reply,  as  to  have  done  so  would 
be  to  repeat  Himself  and  intensify  a  useless  contention. 

He  is  again  Rejected  at  Nazareth. 

The  more  that  Jesus  multiplied  His  noble  deeds  and  increased  His  popularity 
with  the  people,  the  more  earnest  became  His  enemies  in  traducing  Him,  until 
utterances  against  Him  were  even  made  in  the  s^magogue,  where  the  rabbis  vehe- 
mently declared  that  all  His  works  were  but  instrumentalities  of  Satan,  and  His 
claims  to  Messiahship  blasphemy  of  God.  This  boldness  of  the  Pharisees  how- 
ever was  not  manifested  until  His  appearance  again  in  Nazareth,  whither  He 
went  from  Capernaum  to  attempt  again  to  preach  to  His  towns-people.  He  had 
believed  that  His  works  in  the  region  of  Gennesaret  must  have  become  known 
and  authenticated  in  Nazareth,  and  that  on  His  return  to  the  place  He  would  be 
accorded  a  hearty  welcome.  But  the  Nazarenes  were  no  more  receptive  to  His 
♦cachings  than  before,  for  they  still  regarded  Him  as  a  false  pretender,  an  unbelief 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  315 

which  could  not  be  overcome  by  deeds  because  He  was  known  there  in  His  youth 
and  lowly  condition,  which  to  their  minds  made  it  impossible  for  Him  to  have 
developed  Godly  attributes,  and  they  therefore  refused  to  receive  Him.  Jesus 
marveled  at  their  unbelief,  but  rather  than  enter  into  controversy  with  His  own 
towns-people,  after  laying  hands  on  and  healing  several  of  the  sick  who  were 
brought  to  Him,  He  departed  into  another  part  of  Galilee,  where  the  people 
accepted  Him  with  great  enthusiasm,  for  in  the  country  districts  the  influence  of 
hostile  rabbis  was  not  felt  so  seriously. 

As  He  made  His  third  circuit  of  Galilee,  crowds  followed  Him  in  greater 
number  than  before,  and  with  such  reverence  and  persistence  that  He  found  it 
necessary  to  make  provision  for  better  ministering  unto  them. 

His  Twelve  Disciples  sent  forth  by  Twos. 

The  year  or  more  which  had  now  been  spent  by  the  disciples  in  attendant 
duties  as  the  followers  of  Jesus  was  a  period  of  preparation,  during  which  thej 
had  been  taught  by  illustration,  by  example,  and  by  explanation,  the  require- 
ments of  true  apostleship  in  the  ser\dce  of  bringing  souls  to  repentance  and  for 
the  firm  establishing  of  Christ's  church  and  kingdom.  They  had  been  schooled 
also  in  adversity,  and  had  learned  to  estimate  the  unyielding  enmity,  hostility 
and  influence  of  the  rabbis,  Pharisees,  Sadducees,  scribes  and  priests,  who  strove 
mightily  to  bring  them  into  disrepute.  Jesus  therefore  felt  that  their  mental 
equipment  was  now  complete  for  entering  upon  evangelistic  labors  among  the 
people.  He  accordingly  called  them  together  and  first  conferring  upon  them 
power,  which  He  had  up  to  this  time  alone  exercised — authority  to  cast  out 
devils,  and  an  enablement  to  heal  the  sick,  and  a  control  over  all  manner  of  sick- 
ness— He  sent  them  forth  by  twos  to  preach  the  kingdom  of  God  and  to  do  works 
of  mercy  among  the  afflicted.  He  recognized  the  temperaments  that  were  best 
fitted  to  work  in  unison,  and  appointed  them  in  this  wise  :  Simon  Peter  and 
Andrew,  his  brother,  were  sent  out  together  ;  then  James  and  John,  also  brothers  ; 
Philip  and  Bartholomew  (Nathanael)  ;  Thomas  (Didymus)  and  Matthew  ;  James 
the  son  of  Alpheus,  and  Judas  his  brother,  who  was  also  called  Lebbeus  Thad- 
deus  ;  Simon  Zelotes  and  Judas  Iscariot.  In  making  this  selection  and  appoint- 
ing them  by  twos,  who  should  conduct  their  mission  jointlj^  Jesus  had  special 
regard  for  temperament  to  the  end  that  they  might  work  in  sympathy.  It  would 
not  do  to  thus  associate  two  who  were  timorous  and  weak-spirited  ;  or  two  who 
were  querulous  ;  or  two  who  were  super-sensitive  ;  or  two  who  were  tempestuous. 
For  even  though  all  were  men  of  great  faith  and  strong  convictions,  and  earnest 
in  their  avowals,  yet  there  were  some  more  faithful  than  others  ;  some  that  were 
more  temperate  an'd  forbearing  than  others.  Jesus  therefore  associated  His  apos- 
tles with  special  regard   for  their  personal  attachments  and  their  counteracting 


3i6  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

dispositions,  so  that  in  their  labors  they  would  be  balanced,  or  starting  on  con- 
verging lines  they  would  be  drawn  to  a  common  point  in  results. 

But  before  sending  them  out  He  had  a  few  parting  instructions  to  give.  As 
they  were  Jews,  they  must  at  first  confine  their  labors  to  Galilee,  rather  than 
attempt  to  carry  the  gospel  into  Samaria  or  among  the  Gentiles.  The  seed  which 
He  had  sown  was  now  ripening,  and  the  disciples  must  become  the  harvesters  ; 
the  sheep  were  everywhere  in  Galilee,  but  they  were  scattered  and  among  wolves 
and  needed  shepherds  to  bring  them  into  the  fold.  But  while  laboring  they  must 
also  watch,  for  enemies  were  everywhere  about  who  would  seek  their  ruin,  "  Be 
ye  therefore  wise  as  serpents,  and  harmless  as  doves. ' '  That  they  might  not  be 
influenced  by  bribes,  or  promises  of  earthly  reward,  and  become  covetous,  Jesus 
told  them  to  provide  nothing  for  their  comfort  or  protection,  nor  to  receive  any 
gifts,  but  depend  upon  the  charity  of  those  among  whom  they  preached.  If  any 
town  rejected  them  they  should  shake  the  very  dust  of  the  ground  off  their  feet 
as  a  sign  of  the  supreme  sinfulness  of  its  people.  If  arrested  or  maltreated  they 
were  not  to  answer  for  themselves,  but  trust  to  God,  who  would  reply  for  them ; 
but  they  must  flee  from  the  persecutions  offered  them  in  one  city  and  go  directly 
into  another,  regarding  such  hardships  as  great  favors,  for  their  reward  at  last 
should  be  in  proportion  to  the  evil  suffered  for  His  sake.  Fear  not  what  the 
-enemies  might  do,  for  the  soul  is  beyond  their  power  to  harm.  As  God  protects 
even  the  ^r^arrow,  so  much  more  will  He  graciously  regard  those  who  confess  Him 
before  men.  Even  dissension  that  divides  a  household,  if  it  proceed  from  one 
believing  and  another  rejecting,  must  not  be  permitted  to  repress  zeal  for  spreading 
the  gospel,  for  "  He  that  loveth  father  or  mother  more  than  Me,  is  not  worthy  of 
Me:  and  he  that  loveth  son  or  daughter  more  than  Me,  is  not  worthy  of  Me." 
They  that  received  the  disciples  were  to  be  rewarded  the  same  as  if  they  had 
received  the  Master ;  ' '  and  he  that  receiveth  a  righteous  man  in  the  name  of  a 
righteous  man,  shall  receive  a  righteous  man's  reward." 

Having  thus  given  His  last  instructions,  the  disciples  took  their  leave  and 
went  in  twos  through  the  cities  and  towns  preaching  repentance,  while  Jesus 
resumed  His  ministrations  among  the  people. 

A  Rocking  Throne. 

By  this  time  the  fame  of  Jesus  had  spread  so  far  and  His  wondrous  works 
and  teachings  were  exerting  such  an  influence  upon  the  Galileans,  that  Herod 
became  deeply  concerned,  and  desired  much  to  see  Him.  Many  persons  had 
believed  that  John  was  tne  reincarnated  Elijah,  and  Herod  now  began  to  believe 
that  this  common  report  must  be  true.  He  had  beheaded  John  ;  but  if  Elijah 
appeared  from  the  dead,  might  it  not  be  that  he  had  risen  from  the  executioner's 
axe  not  only  to  declare  a  new  gospel,  but  to  establish  a  new  kingdom  and  to 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE 


317 


punish  the  of 
fences  of  the  na- 
tion ?  But  Herod 
knew  how  su- 
perstitious were 
the  people,  and 
must  have  pre- 
sently dismissed 
his  forebodings 
but  he  deter- 
mined to  at  least 
set  a  watch  upon 
Jesus,  and 
would  have  ac- 
cepted small 
pretext  to  order 
His  arrest. 

Jesus,  how 
ever,  was  kept 
apprised  of  the 
fresh  enmity  of 
Herod  by  His 
friend  Chuza, 
Herod's  stew- 
ard, and  to  avoid 
apprehension 
He  met  His  dis- 
ciples again, 
probably  at  Ca- 
pernaum, and 
with  them 
crossed  over  into 
the  tetrarchy  of 
Philip,  seeking 
seclusion  on  the 
north  shore  of 
I^ake  Gennesa- 
ret.    But  thougfh 


THE  TYPICAL   EASXKRN   SHKl'HERD,    FROM  WHOM  THE    SAVIOUR    DREW 
SO  MANY  BEAUTIFUIv  SIMILES. 


anxious  for  rest  and  privacy,  where  He  could  hear  the  report  of  His  disciples,  so 
closely  was  He  followed  by  great  crowds  that  His  cinbarkment  in  a  boat  foi 


3i8  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

Bethsaida,  or  Batiha,  was  quickly  noted.  Many  must  have  learned  of  His  destina- 
tion, for  immediately  everj^  available  boat  was  launched  and  filled  with  people  deter- 
mined to  follow  after,  while  those  who  could  not  go  by  water  went  along  the  shore 
on  foot,  or  on  horse,  or  donkey,  or  camel,  the  banks  being  covered  with  a  moving 
army  of  believers,  of  curious,  of  sick,  of  distressed  ;  in  disordered  files,  in  broken 
ranks,  in  confused  columns  ;  men,  women  and  children  ;  old  age  keeping  step 
with  young  paces,  the  diseased  carried  on  pallets  by  strong  arms,  the  weak  and 
failing  helped  along  by  assisting  hands,  every  one  encouraged  by  the  hope  of  soon 
meeting  again  with  the  Holy  Teacher,  the  Omnipotent  Healer. 

The  Miraculous  Biscuit. 

At  last  the  prow  of  Jesus'  boat  touches  shore,  the  sail  is  furled,  the  oars 
unshipped,  and  the  line  run  out  for  anchorage.  Weary,  pale,  overworked,  the 
Master  sees  how  He  is  being  followed  by  crowds  in  boats,  but  He  hardly  reckons 
what  a  multitude  is  trudging  along  the  shore  in  pursuit.  He  must  have  a  few 
hours  of  privacy  ;  not  only  His  half-exhausted  nature  demands  it,  but  affairs  of 
His  church  require  that  He  should  hold  counsel  with  His  disciples.  So  leaving 
the  seaside  He  takes  His  apostles  up  into  a  mountain  and  holds  audience  with 
them.  The  Feast  of  the  Passover  was  near  at  hand,  and  this  celebration  must 
have  been  talked  of  among  them,  and  whether  it  were  best  to  go  down  to  Jeru- 
salem and  brave  the  dangers  of  such  a  visit,  or  to  celebrate  the  feast  there  in  the 
mountain,  that  they  might  not  withdraw  from  the  field  where  the  harvest  was  so 
great  and  the  laborers  were  so  few. 

After  some  hours  of  counsel  with  His  disciples,  Jesus  came  down  from  the 
mountain,  and  was  confronted  by  a  crowd  of  ten  thousand  persons  who  had 
sat  about  the  shore  of  the  lake  impatient  for  His  return,  but  whose  reverent 
respect  had  prevented  them  from  going  up  to  His  retreat  to  intrude  upon  His 
privacy.  "And  Jesus,  when  He  came  out,  saw  a  great  multitude,  and  was 
moved  with  compassion  towards  them,  because  they  were  as  sheep  having  no 
shepherd  ;  and  He  received  them,  and  began  to  teach  them  many  things,  and 
spake  unto  them  of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  and  healed  them  that  had  need  of 
healing. ' ' 

Jesus  continued  His  loving  ministration  to  the  multitude  until  the  day  was  so 
far  spent  that  little  time  remained  before  night-fall,  but  yet  He  took  no  care  of 
the  passing  hours,  so  bound  up  was  He  in  His  gracious  labors.  At  length  the 
disciples  ventured  to  remind  Him  that  they  were  in  a  desert  place,  and  that  if  He 
did  not  send  the  crowd  away,  night  would  overtake  them  without  food  to  feed  any 
of  the  hungry  ones.  So  anxious  had  the  multitude  been  to  reach  Jesus  that  none 
of  the  people  had  thought  to  carry  any  provisions  with  them,  and  this  army  of 
improvidents  was  now  in  a  state  of  half-famishment.     There  must  have  been  ten 


320  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

thousand  to  feed,  for  Matthew  says  there  were  five  thousand  men,  besides  women 
and  children. 

How  shall  this  great  multitude  be  supplied  ?  I  see  a  selfish  man  in  that 
crowd  pulling  a  luncheon  out  of  his  own  pocket,  and  saying :  ' '  L,et  the  people 
starve.  They  had  no  business  to  come  out  here  in  the  desert  without  any  pro- 
visions. They  are  improvident,  and  the  improvident  ought  to  sufifer. ' '  There  is 
another  man,  not  quite  so  heartless,  who  says  :  "  Go  up  into  the  village  and  buy 
bread."  What  a  foolish  proposition.  There  is  not  enough  in  all  the  village  for 
this  crowd  ;  besides,  who  has  the  money  to  pay  for  it  ?  Xerxes'  army,  one 
million  strong,  was  fed  by  a  private  individual  of  great  wealth  for  onlj^  one  day, 
but  it  broke  him.     Who  then  shall  feed  this  multitude  ? 

I  see  a  man  rising  in  that  great  crowd  and  asking  :  "Is  there  anyone  here 
who  has  bread  or  meat  ?  "  A  kind  of  moan  goes  through  the  whole  throng. 
"  No  bread — no  meat."  But  just  at  that  time  a  lad  steps  up.  You  know  when  a 
great  crowd  goes  off  upon  an  excursion,  there  are  always  men  and  boys  to  go 
along  for  the  purpose  of  merchandise  and  to  strike  a  bargain  ;  and  so  I  suppose 
this  boy  had  gone  along  for  the  purpose  of  merchandise  ;  but  he  was  nearly  sold 
out,  having  only  five  loaves  and  two  fishes  left.  The  loaves  were  only  biscuits, 
about  the  size  of  your  fist.     He  is  a  generous  boy  and  turns  them  over  to  Christ. 

But  these  loaves  would  not  feed  twenty  people,  how  much  less  ten  thousand. 
Though  the  action  was  generous  on  the  part  of  the  boy,  so  far  as  satisfying  the 
multitude  it  was  a  dead  failure.  When  Jesus  comes  to  the  rescue.  He  is  apt  to 
come  when  there  is  a  dead  lift.  He  commands  the  people  that  they  sit  down  "  in 
ranks,  by  hundreds  and  by  fifties,"  as  much  as  to  say  :  "  Order  !  order  !  so  that 
none  be  missed."  It  was  fortunate  that  that  arrangement  was  made  ;  otherwise, 
at  the  very  first  appearance  of  bread,  the  strong  ones  would  have  clutched  it, 
while  the  feeble  and  the  modest  would  have  gone  unsupplied. 
.  I  suppose  it  was  no  easy  work  to  get  the  crowd  seated,  for  they  all  wanted  to 
be  in  the  front  row,  lest  the  bread  give  out  before  their  turn  should  come.  No* 
sooner  are  they  seated  than  there  comes  a  great  hush  over  all  the  people.  Jesus 
stands  there.  His  light  complexion  and  auburn  locks  illumined  by  the  setting 
sun.  Every  eye  is  on  Him.  They  wonder  what  He  will  do  next.  He  takes 
one  of  the  loaves  that  the  boy  furnished  and  breaks  off  a  piece,  which  immediately 
grows  to  as  large  a  size  as  the  original  loaf,  the  original  loaf  staying  as  large  as  it 
was  before  the  piece  was  broken  off.  And  they  leaned  forward  with  intense 
scrutiny,  saying  :  ' '  I^ook  !  look  ! ' '  When  some  one,  anxiotis  to  see  more 
minutely  what  was  going  on,  rises  in  front,  they  cry  :  "Sit  down  in  front  !  Let 
us  look  for  ourselves  ! ' ' 

And  when  the  bread  is  passed  around,  they  taste  of  it  skeptically  and  inquir- 
ingly, as  much  as  to  say  :   "  Is  it  bread?     Really,  is  it  bread?"     Yes,  the  best 


FROM    MANGER   TO  THRONE.  321 

that  was  ever  made,  for  Christ  made  it.  Bread  for  the  first  fifty  and  the  second 
fifty.  Bread  for  the  first  hundred  and  for  the  second  hundred.  Bread  for  the  first 
thousand  and  for  the  second  thousand.  Pass  it  all  around  the  circle  :  there,  where 
that  old  man  sits  leaning  on  his  staff,  and  where  that  woman  sits  with  the  child 
in  her  arms.  Pass  it  all  around.  Are  you  all  fed?  "  Ay  !  ay  !  "  One  basket 
would  have  held  the  loaves  before  the  miracle  ;  it  takes  twelve  now  !  No  wonder 
that  the  people  were  amazed,  and  that  they  said  :  "  This  is  of  a  truth  that  Prophet 
that  should  come  into  the  world." 

Pavements  of  Crystal. 

After  miraculously  feeding  the  multitude,  Jesus  was  in  such  favor  with  the 
people  that  they  conceived  the  idea  of  taking  Him  by  force  to  make  Him  king, 
knowing  that  His  aversion  to  worldly  honors  would  cause  Him  to  decline  with 
displeasure  any  proposal  to  raise  Him  to  such  earthly  dignit3^  To  escape  the 
crowd,  therefore,  He  sent  His  disciples  back  to  Capernaum  in  a  boat,  while  He 
retired  alone  into  a  mountain  to  pray.  The  disciples  had  lingered  about  Beth- 
saida,  thinking  that  Jesus  would  return  to  them  before  night-fall,  but  as  the  shades 
of  evening  deepened  they  gave  over  this  hope  and  started  for  Capernaum,  leaving 
their  Lord  alone  to  His  communings  in  the  mountain  fastnesses.  The  disciples 
pulled  away  from  the  shore  in  confidence,  for  they  were  nearly  all  practiced  boat- 
men, but  directly  upon  starting,  a  furious  storm  arose,  such  as  sweep  down  upon 
Gennesaret  with  the  fury  of  a  demon  and  the  suddenness  of  an  attack  out  of 
ambush.  Away  went  the  sail,  if  the  boat  had  one,  and  the  wind-lashed  waters 
rose  up  until  they  showed  their  whitened  crests  like  gravestones,  and  their 
darkened  swirls  like  sepulchres.  The  oars  became  almost  useless,  for  strain  and 
pull  and  dip,  were  counteracted  by  lash  and  beat  of  billow.  So  wild  was  the 
storm,  so  tempestuous  the  waves,  that  though  Capernaum  was  scarce  four  miles 
from  Bethsaida,  after  nearly  eight  hours  of  toilsome  and  energetic  rowing  the 
Apostles  were  still  two  miles  from  their  destination.  Through  the  gloom  of  night, 
perhaps  by  lightning  torch,  or  divine  radiance,  the  exhausted  disciples  descry  an 
object  moving  over  the  tossing  waves  ;  first  like  a  misty  vision,  then  like  a 
shadowy  form,  until  it  approached  nearer,  and  they  perceive  that  it  is  a  human 
form  walking  on  the  maddened  waters,  with  step  as  firm,  with  gait  as  steady, 
with  concern  as  indifferent,  as  though  moving  along  a  pathway  through  ripening 
fields. 

In  the  mind  of  anyone  such  a  vision  would  inspire  alarm,  aiid  even  though 
the  Apostles  had  seen  many  remarkable  things  transcending  natural  laws,  they 
were  now  afraid.  But  their  tremblings  and  disquiet  were  quickly  stilled  by  a 
cheerful  voice  ringing  like  a  benediction  above  the  dash  of  waves,  "Be  of  good 
cheer:  it  is  I ;  be  not  afraid."     Thus  did  Jesus  reveal   Himself  to  His  tired  and 


322 


FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


terror-stricken  Apostles,  and  they  hailed  Him  now  not  only  as  their  Master,  but  as 
a  deliverer  who  could  bind  the  winds  and  fold  up  the  beating  waves'  and  give  them 
safe  and  speedy  passage  to  Capernaum.  In  loving  enthusiasm  Peter  cried  out 
to  Jesus,  "  lyord,  if  it  be  Thou,  bid  me  come  unto  Thee  on  the  water,"  and  He 
said,  ' '  Come. '  *  Peter  leaped  out  of  the  boat  onto  the  solid  wave  that  bore  him  up, 
and  started  towards  Christ,  but  beside  him  rolled  up  the  angry  waters  in  such 
mad  threatenings  that  Peter's  faith  began  to  fade,  and  as  it  diminished  his  feet 
sank  lower  and  lower  at  each  step,  until  in  despair  he  cried,  "Lord,  save  me." 
The  appeal  was  not  in  vain,  for  Christ  gave  him  His  hand  and  lifting  Him  up, 
said,  by  way  of  rebuke  for  his  lack  of  confidence,  "  O  thou  of  little  faith,  where- 
fore didst  thou  doubt?"  And  when  they  were  come  into  the  ship,  the  wind 
ceased,  and  they  were  sore  amazed  in  themselves  beyond  measure  and  wonder. 

When  Xerxes  resolved  upon  invading  Greece  he  bridged  the  Dardanelles 
with  boats  to  afford  passage  for  his  army  of  nearly  two  million  men  ;  but  a  storm 
destroyed  the  pontoons,  which  so  enraged  him  that  he  ordered  fetters  to  be  thrown 
into  the  sea  in  his  senseless  effort  to  bind  it,  and  then  commanded  three  hundred 
men  to  lash  the  tempestuous  waters  with  chains  by  way  of  punishment.  But  the 
waves  gave  no  heed  to  his  passion,  nor  did  his  impotent  rage  curb  their  wild  and 
destructive  dashings.  Canute  was  powerful  enough  to  hold  Denmark  and  to  con- 
quer England,  but  when  he  sat  by  the  seaside  and  commanded  the  incoming  tide 
to  approach  no  closer  to  his  chair,  the  rolling  waves  poured  their  flood  upon  the 
sands  with  recurring  encroachment  and  would  have  seized  him,  powerful  king 
that  he  was,  with  their  deadly  arms,  and  carried  him  into  the  sepulchre  of  the 
deep,  had  he  not  retreated  before  their  resistless  advance.  But  Jesus,  clothed  in 
humility  and  insensible  to  the  flattery  of  man,  with  no  earthly  possessions,  a  com- 
panion of  poverty,  and  whose  friendships  were  among  the  afflicted,  the  poor,  the 
accused  and  the  rejected,  was  yet  mightier  than  all  earthly  kings,  for  the  sea  and 
the  winds  were  His  slaves. 


CHAPTER   XX. 

MIGHTY    SERMON    AT    CAPERNAUM. 

m^^^^  ETURNING  from  Bethsaida  to  Capernaum,  a  rough  and  wearj^  way 

^  .^^      as  I  found,  taking  it  afoot  last   December,   Jesus  seems    to    have 

I    ^k       secured  a  little  rest  before  the  multitude  that  He  dismissed,  after 

<  V»     miraculously    feeding   them,    discovered    His   departure    from    the 

mountain  into  which  He  went  to  pray.     The  crowd  had  remained  aH  night  about 

Bethsaida,   anxiously  awaiting  His  reappearing,   but  with  their  patience  finally 

exhausted  by  hunger  and  exposure — for  the  village  could  not  supply  so  large  a 

number  with  food  and  shelter — they  returned  to  Capernaum  the  following  day. 

Their  surprise  at  learning  that  Jesus  had  preceded  them  was  so  great  that  upon 

finding  Him  they  asked,  with  affectation  of  incredulity,  "Rabbi,  when  caniest 

Thou  hither?"  perhaps  supposing  that  His  sudden  reappearance,  as  they  believed 

it  to  be,  was  made  by  miraculous  means. 

The  multitude  was  now  besieging  Him  again,  so  that  Jesus  seized  the 
occasion  to  rebuke  the  people  for  their  exhibitions  of  idle  curiosity,  and  their  lack 
of  faith  in  Him  as  a  spiritual  teacher  :  "  Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you.  Ye  seek 
Me,  not  because  ye  saw  the  miracles,  but  because  ye  did  eat  of  the  loaves  and 
were  filled."  He  thereupon  gave  them  a  discourse  of  warning  against  the 
de.sires  of  the  flesh — "that  meat  which  perisheth  " — and  exhorted  them  to  sub- 
ordinate their  material  longings  to  cravings  for  spiritual  enlightenment — "  the 
meat  which  endureth  to  life  everlasting. ' ' 

The  people,  not  fully  understanding  Him,  or  captious  in  their  curiosity, 
asked,  "  What  sign  shewest  Thou  then,  that  we  may  see  and  believe  Thee.  What 
do.st  Thou  work  ?  Our  fathers  did  eat  manna  in  the  desert ;  as  it  is  written.  He 
gave  them  bread  from  heaven  to  eat."  Here  was  the  same  caviling  spirit  that 
arose  so  many  times  before  to  confront  Him,  and  which  He  rebuked  so  severely 
as  He  did  now.  The  Pharisees,  seeking  to  disparage  Him  in  the  estimation  of 
His  followers,  now  treated  Him  cavalierly,  by  asking  Him  to  prove  His  equality 
or  superiority  to  Moses  by  the  performance  of  other  miracles.  The)'  saw  that  the 
purpose  of  Christ  was  specific,  and  that  all  His  works  were  means  to  a  certain 
end,  for  which  rea.son  He  would  not  put  forth  examples  of  His  power  merely  to 
gratify  the  vulgar  appetite  of  un.sympathetic,  not  to  say  hostile,  critics,  for  to 
have  done  so  would  have  been  to  desecrate  the  attributes  of  Deity,  by  making 

(323) 


324  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

God  to  appear  as  ambitious  to  secure  the  applause  of  men.     But  He  shows  the 
superior  quality  of  the  spiritual  bread  that  giveth  life  to  the  world. 

The  Bread  of  Life. 

Thinking  that  Christ  spoke  of  a  material  bread,  the  eating  of  which  would 
confer  perpetual  life,  the  people  begged  eagerly  that  He  would  bestow  upon  them 
such  a  priceless  gift,  for  while  they  rejected  Him,  still  they  had  seen  Him  work 
wonders  and  were  selfish  enough  to  anxiously  beseech  Him  for  favors  which  only 
God  could  grant.  The  miracles  which  He  did  before  them  were  incontrovertible 
proofs  of  supernatural  power,  but  these  the  influence  of  the  rabbis  was  able  to 
largely  discredit  by  such  appeals  to  the  people  as  these  :  ' '  We  know  that  a 
Messiah  is  promised  us,  and  that  His  coming  is  near  at  hand,  but  when  He  comes 
no  one  shall  know  Him,  and  He  will  be  clothed  not  only  with  power,  but  with 
the  appearance  of  an  avenging  God  who  will  purge  Israel  of  her  enemies,  and 
will  raise  wp  Judah  to  rulership  over  all  the  earth."  This  conception  of  the 
MCvSsiah,  as  before  ♦described,  was  the  hope  and  belief  of  all  Jewry,  and  so  long 
had  it  been  a  part  of  the  Jewish  life,  taught  by  lesson,  tradition,  prophecy  and 
appeals,  that  not  even  the  disciples  themselves  could  wholly  divest  themselves 
of  it.  Therefore  when  in  reply  to  the  request  for  that  bread  which  would  give 
eternal  life,  Jesus  answered  that  He  Himself  was  the  bread  sent  down  from 
heaven,  the  Jews  began  to  rail  at  Him,  saying,  "Is  not  this  Jesus,  the  son  of 
Joseph,  whose  father  and  mother  we  know?  How  is  it  then  that  He  saith,  I 
came  down  from  heaven  ?  "  , 

Jesus  having  condescended  to  answer  the  carpings  of  those  who  were  already 
waiting  to  condemn  Him,  had  regard  also  for  those  among  His  hearers  who  were 
susceptible  to  instruction,  and  He  therefore  gave  them  further  exposition  of  His 
sayings,  that  they  might  be  able  to  distinguish  the  necessities  of  the  spiritual  as 
well  as  of  the  temporal  life.  "  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  he  that  believeth  on  Me 
hath  everlasting  life.  I  am  that  bread  of  life.  I  am  the  living  bread  that  came 
down  from  heaven  ;  and  the  bread  that  I  will  give  is  My  flesh,  which  I  will  give 
for  the  life  of  the  world.  I  say  unto  you,  except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of 
Man,  and  drink  His  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you.  Whoso  eateth  my  flesh  and 
drinketh  my  blood,  hath  eternal  life  ;  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day. ' ' 

Astounding  Faithlessness. 

At  these  declarations  the  murmuring  rose  to  revilings,  in  which  even  many 
of  Jesus'  followers  joined,  but  why  they  did  not  understand  that  the  words 
"  bread  "  and  "  blood  "  were  used  metaphorically  to  express  the  indwelling  spirit, 
the  spiritual  life,  it  is  hard  to  explain.  As  a  learned  writer  says,  "The  idea  of 
eating,  as  a  metaphor  for  receiving  spiritual   benefit,   was  familiar  to  Christ's 


HE    HHAUKU   XHH  SICK    AND    KAlSliD   THE   DEAD. — DrawU  by  DorC. 


I325J 


326  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

hearers,  and  was  as  readily  understood  as  our  expressions,  'devouring  a  book,' 
or  '  drinking  in  instructions. '  ' '  The  rabbis  referred  to  their  laws  in  the  same 
manner,  so  that  these  metaphorical  terms  may  be  said  to  have  been  in  common 
use,  and  their  application  could  not  have  been  misunderstood  except  as  they 
conflicted  with  preconceived  opinions.  Some  there  were  who  comprehended  the 
teaching,  but  the  rabbis  were  industrious  in  declaring  that  Jesus  spoke  in  a 
literal  sense,  and  their  influence  was  sufficient  to  excite  the  doubts  of  many 
disciples,  who  in  their  turn  said,  ' '  This  is  a  hard  saying  ;  who  can  hear  it, ' '  or 
paraphrased,  "These  sayings  are  self-conflicting;  they  are  contradictory  and 
unexplainable."  It  is  possible  that  they  seriously  doubted  His  mental  responsi- 
bility, knowing  the  great  and  unrelaxed  strain  His  mind  had  been  constantly 
subjected  to  for  probably  two  years.  This  is  at  least  the  most  charitable  explana- 
tion of  the  doubts  of  His  disciples. 

Some  of  the  Disciples  Abandon  Him. 

Seeing  how  some  of  His  disciples  had  become  disaffected,  Jesus  turned  to 
them  and  said,  ' '  Doth  this  offend  you  ?  What  if  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  Man 
ascend  up  where  He  was  before  ?  It  is  the  spirit  that  quickeneth  ;  the  flesh 
profiteth  nothing  :  the  words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  they  are  spirit,  and  they  are 
life.  But  there  are  some  of  you  that  believe  not."  Even  these  words  failed  to 
quicken  their  comprehension,  for  "from  that  time  many  of  His  disciples  went 
back,  and  walked  no  more  with  Him." 

How  truly  were  Christ's  words  as  to  the  requirements  for  disci pleship  thus 
proven.  In  the  light  of  this  exhibition  of  human  weakness  before  worldl}^  power 
and  influence,  we  can  plainly  see  why  many  who  sought  Him  for  appointment  to 
discipleship  were  rejected  ;  His  insight  into  human  nature,  His  knowledge  of 
ever>'  heart  that  was  before  Him  ;  His  divine  estimate  of  those  who  came  crying 
"  Lord,  Lord,"  enabled  Him  to  detect  the  firm  from  the  yielding  ;  the  good  from 
the  bad  ;  the  faithful  from  the  time-serving.  But  if  many  disciples  turned  away 
from  Him  in  the  hour  of  conflict,  the  apostles  clung  to  Him  in  abiding  confidence 
and  love.  ' '  Then  said  Jesus  unto  the  twelve,  Will  ye  also  go  away  ?  ' '  Simon 
Peter  answered  Him,  "Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go?  Thou  hast  the  words  of 
eternal  life.  And  we  believe,  and  are  sure  that  Thou  art  that  Christ,  the  Son 
of  the  living  God."  Faithful  Peter!  enemies  cannot  frighten,  adversity  cannot 
cast  down,  calumny  and  persecution  cannot  swerve  him  from  his  loyal  purpose, 
nor  alienate  him  from  his  Lord.  No  surprise  that  upon  such  a  rock  Christ  should 
build  His  Church  ;  no  surprise  that  to  such  a  faithful  servant  the  keys  of  the 
everlasting  Kingdom  should  be  entrusted  ;  no  surprise  that  Peter  is  on  the  right 
hand  of  the  Saviour.  It  was  a  great  .satisfaction,  a  joyous  consolement  to  Jesus, 
that  He  should  be  answered  with  such  evidence  of  devotion  ;  >et  among  these 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE.  327 

twelve  He  knew  there  was  one  who  had  no  part  in  these  loyal  sentiments,  who  was 
indeed  a  wolf  in  the  fold,  who  would  at  last  betray  Him. 

Outer  Cleanliness  but  Inner  Defilement. 

The  enemies  of  Jesus  had  now  a  temporary  triumph,  and  they  would  push 
their  advantage.  Many  Pharisees  and  scribes  had  been  sent  up  from  Jerusalem 
to  sow  seeds  of  disbelief  among  the  people  that  were  attracted  and  being  converted 
to  the  new  faith — that  faith  founded  by  Jesus  upon  deeds  of  mercy  rather  than 
upon  mere  outward  showing  and  ostentatious  professions.  There  had  now  suc- 
ceeded to  His  large  following  of  earnest  belieyers  a  wide-spread  disaffection  which 
was  growing  apace,  started  and  urged  forward  by  the  rabbinical  class,  and  gaining 
fresh  impetus  at  every  conflict.  But  even  after  the  desertion  of  many  disciples, 
Jesus  still*  retained  a  considerable  following,  and  it  was  therefore  considered 
advisable  by  the  Pharisees  to  continue  their  tactics  of  casting  imputations  upon 
His  motives,  and  making  open  charges  of  blasphemy  against  Him  for  claiming  to 
be  the  Messiah  while  violating  both  law  and  custom.  Therefore  availing  them- 
selves of  every  pretext  to  expose  Him  to  the  people  for  His  opposition  to  the 
rabbis,  and  observing  many  of  His  disciples  eating  with  unwashed  hands,  they 
flew  at  once  to  Jesus,  and  holding  Him  accountable  for  the  acts  of  His  followers, 
pompously  asked  Him,  "  Why  walk  not  Thy  disciples  according  to  the  tradition 
of  the  elders,  but  eat  bread  with  unwashed  hands  ? ' '  He  had  answered  this 
inquiry  more  than  once  before,  and  therefore  with  apparently  n'asted  patience 
He  now  replied  in  the  vigorous  words  of  Isaiah  :  ' '  This  people  draweth  nigh  unto 
Me  with  their  mouth,  and  honoreth  me  with  their  lips  ;  but  their  hearts  are  far 
from  Me.  But  in  vain  do  they  worship  Me,  teaching  for  doctrines  the  command- 
ments of  men.  For,  laying  aside  the  commandments  of  God,  ye  hold  the 
traditions  of  men,  as  the  washing  of  pots,  and  cups,  and  brazen  vessels,  and 
tables."  Or  in  other  words,  "Ye  loud-mouthed  hypocrites,  who  expend  your 
worship  in  outward  forms  of  ceremonial  purity,  who  are  sticklers  for  prescribea 
customs,  who  show  forth  in  ostentatious  manners  to  gain  the  applause  of  men, 
who  assume  to  discharge  all  )^our  moral  obligations  by  washings,  and  fasts,  and 
Sabbath  observances,  and  go  about  bedizened  with  phylacteries,  and  caps  and 
robes  !  Ye  shufflers,  dissemblers  and  mountebanks,  that  make  of  your  religion  a 
cloak  with  which  to  cover  your  moral  deformity  and  hide  your  earthly  ambitions  ! 
Ye  wash  the  backs  of  your  hands  while  the  palms  remain  full  of  defilements  ;  ye 
wash  your  bodies,  leaving  your  hearts  overflowing  with  impurity  ;  ye  wash  your 
feet,  but  continue  in  the  way  of  all  evil.  Why,  in  practice,  you  do  not  even  have 
regard  for  that  commandment  which  enjoins  you  to  '  Honor  thy  father  and  thy 
mother;'  ye  are  like  the  blind  leading  the  blind."  Then  said  Jesus  to  the 
multitude:    "Hearken  unto  Me  every  one  of  you,  and  understand.     There  is 


328  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

nothing  from  without  a  man,  that  entering  into  him  can  defile  him  ;  but  the 
things  which  come  out  of  him,  those  are  they  that  defile  the  man.  He  that  hath 
ears  to  hear  let  him  hear. ' ' 

At  this  severe  rebuke  and  outwitting  the  Pharisees  and  scribes  grew  so  angry 
that  even  the  disciples  seem  to  have  become  alarmed,  for  nothing  save  fear  could 
have  prompted  them  to  say  to  Him,  "  Knowest  Thou  that  the  Pharisees  were 
offended  after  they  heard  this  saying  ?  "  .  But  Peter  appears  to  have  been  really 
so  obtuse  that  either  he  failed  to  comprehend  the  full  purport  of  Christ's  words, 
or  else  he  was  anxious  to  learn  what  justification  Jesus  had  to  make  for  the  severity 
of  His  reproachment  of  the  Pharisees ;  hence  when  Christ  returned  to  Peter's 
house  the  latter  said  to  Him,  "Declare  unto  us  this  parable,"  or  "  Give  us  an 
explanation  of  your  words."  And  Jesus  said,  "  Are  ye  also  without  understand- 
ing ?  Is  it  possible  that  you  require  an  interpretation  of  My  sayings,  which  have 
such  manifest  significance  ?  Do  ye  not  understand,  that  whatever  entereth  the 
mouth  from  without,  cannot  defile  him  ;  because  it  entereth  not  into  the  heart. 
That  which  cometh  out  of  the  man,  that  defileth  the  man.  For  from  within,  out 
of  the  heart  of  men,  proceed  evil  thoughts,  adulteries,  fornication,  murders,  thefts, 
covetousness,  ivickedness,  deceit,  lasciviousness,  an  evil  eye,  blasphemy,  false 
witness,  pride,  foolishness  ;  all  these  evil  things  come  from  within  and  defile  the 
man,  but  to  eat  with  unwashed  hands  defileth  not  a  man."  Peter  must  have 
been  satisfied  with  the  expounding  ;  and  the  Pharisees  had  such  full  comprehen- 
sion of  the  sayings,  which  were  accusations  against  their  hypocrisy,  that  their 
hostility  arose  to  vengefulness  and  threatenings  against  Christ's  life.  And  "Jesus 
would  walk  no  more  in  Jewry  because  the  Jews  sought  to  kill  Him." 

Seeking  Rest  Among  the  Heathen. 

"Whatever  the  Pharisees  thought  of  Him,  whatever  the  railleries,  the  gibes 
and  the  accusings  fiung  at  Him,  Jesus  did  not  lose  any  of  His  popularity  as  an 
attraction  to  the  masses.  Whatever  the  influence  under  which  He  operated,  His 
deeds  were  merciful  and  beneficent.  Whether  His  power  was  of  ^elzebub  or  of 
God,  the  people  knew  it  was  omnipotent,  and  that  at  His  touch  or  word  perfect 
health  came  to  the  djdng,  and  all  manner  of  disease  and  afflictions  were  cast  out. 
And  hence  the  crowds  may  have  shown  a  disbelief  of  His  Messiahship,  but  they 
did  not  diminish.  Morning,  noon  and  night  the  multitude  followed  Him,  or 
stood  waiting  with  anxiety  His  reappearing,  the  sick,  the  helpless,  the  deformed, 
hovering  about  His  presence  in  hope,  or  leaping  with  jo)^  at  His  touch  of  restora- 
tion. His  ceaseless  ministrations  must  have  been  dreadfully  exhausting,  for, 
taking  upon  Himself  the  physical  weaknesses  of  man,  like  a  man  He  hungered, 
thirsted  and  became  weary. 

But  where  can  Jesus,  with  such   fame   for  doing  mighty  works,  find  rest  ? 


FROM  MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


329 


Not  in  Galilee,  where  the  crowds  gave  Him  no  surcease  from  labor  ;  not  in  Judah, 
where  His  life  was  threatened  ;  not  in  Samaria,  where  Jews  were  objects  of  hos- 
tility. Being  unable  to  secure  repose  while  among  any  of  His  race,  Jesus  decides 
to  go  over  to  Tyre  and  Sidon,  and  trust  Himself  with  the  Canaanites,  who,  per- 
haps, had  not  yet  heard  of  Him  and  who  would  therefore  permit  Him  to  remain 
in  retirement.      "  And  from  thence  Jesus  arose'and  went  into  the  borders  of  Tyre 


PRESENT   APPEARANCE   OF   ANCIENT   FORTIFICATIONS   AT  SIDON. 

and  Sidon,  and  went  into  an  house,  and  would  have  no  man  know  it ;  but  He 
could  not  be  hid." 

Faith  of  the  Syrophoenician  Woman. 

Fame  travels  on  the  wings  of  day  and  night ;  such  fame  as  His  outstripped 
the  winds  that  blow  from  whence  to  everywhere.  Scarcely  had  He  touched  the 
boundary  of  the  Gentile  provinces  when  "behold  a  woman  of  Canaan,  who  was 
a  Greek,  a  Syrophoenician  by  nation,  whose  young  daughter  had  an  unclean 
spirit,  heard  of  Him,  came  out  of  the  same  coasts  and  fell  at  His  feet  ;  and  cried 
unto    Him,    saying,    'Have   mercy   on    me,  O  Lord,    Thou  Son  of  David;   my 


330  FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

daughter  is  grievously  vexed  with  a  devil  !  ' '  This  woman  was  a  mother,  and 
she  had  an  afflicted  daughter.  The  child  had  a  virulent,  exasperating,  convul- 
sive disease,  called  the  possession  of  the  devil.  The  mother  was  just  like  other 
mothers  ;  she  had  no  peace  as  long  as  her  child  was  sick.  She  was  a  Gentile, 
and  the  Jews  had  such  a  perfect  contempt  for  the  Gentiles  that  they  called  them 
dogs.  Nevertheless,  she  comes  to  Christ,  and  asks  His  help  in  her  family 
troubles.  Christ  makes  no  answer.  The  people  are  afraid  there  is  going 
to  be  a  "scene,"  and  they  try  to  get  the  woman  out  of  Christ's  presence  ;  but 
He  forbids  her  expulsion.  Then  she  falls  down  and  repeats  her  request. 
Christ,  to  rally  her  earnestness,  and  to  make  His  mercy  finally  more  conspic- 
uous, addresses  her,  saying,  "  It  is  not  meet  to  talce  the  children's  bread  " — that 
is,  the  salvation  appointed  for  the  Jews — "  and  cast  it  to  dogs  ' ' — the  Gentiles. 

The  whole  land  of  Palestine  is  to-day,  as  it  was  in  the  time  of  Christ,  filled 
with  mean  curs  ;  they  are  foiil  and  vermin-covered,  and  snarly,  and  the  most 
contemptuous  thing  that  could  be  said  to  any  one  was  to  call  him  a  dog.  It 
seems  as  if  the  sagacity  of  the  dog  had  not  been  discovered  in  those  days.  Job 
gives  him  a  kick  in  his  thirtieth  chapter.  Abishai  said,  in  regard  to  David, 
"Shall  this  dead  dog  curse  the  king?"  Goliath  said  to  David,  "Am  I  a  dog, 
that  thou  comest  out  against  me  with  stones?"  Hazael,  wishing  to  depict  his 
hatred  for  some  kind  of  sin,  said,  "  Is  thy  servant  a  dog,  that  he  should  do  this 
great  thing?  "  Paul,  writing  to  the  Philippians,  tried  to  set  forth  the  danger  of 
consorting  with  certain  persons,  and  said,  "Beware  of  dogs."  John,  in  Revela- 
tions, describing  the  fact  that  the  abandoned  and  dissolute  and  the  sinful  shall  be 
thrust  out  of  heaven,  says,  "  Without  are  dogs." 

But  Christ  did  not  mean  to  characterize  that  woman  as  a  dog.  That  would 
have  been  most  unlike  Him,  who  from  the  cross  said,  ' '  Behold  thy  mother. ' ' 
His  whole  life  so  gentle  and  so  loving.  He  could  not  have  given  it  out  as  His 
opinion  that  that  was  what  she  ought  to  be  called  ;  but  He  was  only  employing 
the  ordinary  parlance  in  regard  to  the  Gentiles.  Yet  that  mother  was  not  to  be 
put  off,  pleading  as  she  was  for  the  life  of  her  daughter  ;  she  was  not  to  be 
rebuffed,  she  was  not  to  be  discouraged.  She  says,  "Yea,  Lord,  I  acknowledge 
I  am  a  Gentile  dog,  but  I  remember  that  even  the  dogs  have  some  privileges,  and 
when  the  door  is  open  they  slink  in  and  crawl  under  the  table,  and  when  the 
bread  or  the  meat  sifts  through  the  cracks  of  the  table,  or  falls  off  the  edge  of  it, 
they  pick  it  up,  and  the  master  of  the  house  is  not  angry  with  them.  I  don't 
ask  for  a  big  loaf;  I  don't  ask  for  even  a  big  slice;  I  only  ask  for  that  which 
drops  down  through  the  chinks  of  the  table — the  dog's  portion.  It  is  the  crumbs 
I  am  after."  Christ  felt  the  wit  and  the  earnestness  and  the  stratagem  and  the 
faith  of  that  woman.  He  turns  upon  her  and  says,  "You  have  conquered  me; 
your  daughter  is  well  now." 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  331 

There  I  see  the  mother  going.  She  feels  twenty  years  younger.  Though 
getting  on  in  Hfe  she  goes  with  a  half- run.  Amidst  an  outburst  of  hysterical 
laughter  and  tears  they  meet.  The  mother  breaks  down  every  time  she  tries  to- 
tell  it ;  the  daughter  with  cheeks  as  rosy  as  before  she  fell  in  the  first  fit ;  the 
doctors  of  the  village  prophesying  that  the  cure  will  not  last,  because  it  was  not 
according  to  their  prescription.  But  I  read  in  the  oldest  medical  journal  of  the 
world,  * '  The  daughter  was  made  whole  from  that  very  hour. ' ' 

This  is  the  only  time  that  we  find  Jesus  with  His  back  turned.  That 
woman  came  to  Him  and  said,  "  Lord,  spare  the  life  of  my  child  ;  it  will  not  cost 
you  anything."  Jesus  turns  His  back.  He  throws  positive  discouragement 
upon  her  petition.  Jesus  stood  with  His  face  to  blind  Bartimeus,  and  the  foaming 
demoniac,  and  the  limping  paralytic,  and  the  sea  when  He  hushed  it,  and  the 
grave  when  He  broke  it ;  but  now  He  turns  His  back.  I  asked  an  artist  if  he 
ever  saw  a  representation  of  Jesus  Christ  with  His  back  turned.  He  said.  No. 
And  it  is  a  fact  that  you  may  go  through  all  the  picture  galleries  of  London  and 
Dresden  and  Rome  and  Florence  and  Naples,  and  you  will  find  Christ  with 
full-face  and  profile,  but  never  with  His  back  turned.  Yet  here,  in  this  passage,, 
he  turned  away  from  the  woman.  But  mercy  postponed  is  mercy  augmented. 
If  the  waters  of  the  soul  come  to  the  flood-tide,  they  will  break  away  the  dam. 
If  the  arrow-head  be  drawn  clear  back  to  the  bow,  it  is  only  that  it  may  be 
projected  farther.  If  Christ  turn  His  back  to  any  one,  it  is  only  that  the  dawn 
on  His  face  may  be  more  -effulgent.  What  were  the  five  minutes  in  which  this. 
Syrophoenician  woman  stood  in  bitterness  behind  Jesus,  compared  with  more  than 
eighteen  hundred  years  in  which  she  has  rejoiced  before  him?  "  Weeping  may 
endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh  in  the  morning. ' '  Many  a  man  has  put  his  hand 
over  his  shoulder  to  find  the  cross,  and  lo,  it  was  gone  ;  but  in  bringing  his  hand 
back  again,  he  has  struck  the  crown  on  his  head,  radiant  with  pardon  and  glory. 

Jesus  conquered  by  a  human  soul  !  That  woman  said,  "Take  this  disease 
away  from  my  daughter."  Christ  responded  to  her,  "  It  is  not  meet  to  take  the 
children's  bread  and  cast  it  to  the  dogs."  Then  she  aroused  her  soul  into  an 
acuteness  of  expression  seldom  equaled  b}-^  poet  or  painter,  or  orator  or  satirist^ 
when  she  said,  "  Yea,  Lord,  but  even  the  dogs  eat  of  the  crumbs  that  fall  from 
their  master's  table."  Then  He  turned,  and  flung  pardon  and  healing  and 
help  into  her  soul  with  the  words,  ' '  O  woman  !  great  is  thy  faith  ;  be  it  unto 
thee  even  as  thou  wilt."  You  have  seen  Him  on  the  white  horse  of  victory,  all 
heaven  following  Him  on  white  horses,  in  His  right  hand  the  drawn  sword  of 
universal  dominion  ;  the  moon  under  His  feet,  the  stars  His  tiara  ;  the  sun  only 
the  rocket  shot  up  in  the  signal-service  of  His  great  host ;  burning  worlds  only 
the  bonfires  of  His  victory.  But  now  see  Him  surrender — faith,  humility  and 
prayer  triumphant. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

DEMENTIA    AND    HUNGER    IN    DECAPOLIS. 

GVERYWHERE  that  Jesus  went  the  multitudes  followed  Him.  If 
He  escaped  the  crowds  of  one  city,  His  reappearance  in  another 
was  a  signal  for  a  new  gathering  ;  -but  was  it  not  one  of  the  wise 
providences  that  it  should  be  so  ?  If  we  follow  Him  now  in  faith, 
how  much  stronger  must  have  been  the  temptations  to  follow  Him  in  person. 
Nor  is  it  supposable  that  He  desired  that  it  should  be  otherwise.  His  friends 
used  all  their  persuasive  influence  to  induce  Him  to  cease  His  labors  for  a 
while,  and  He  may  have  sought  retirement  out  of  deference  to  their  anxious 
requests,  but  though  faint  from  weariness,  Jesus  was  ever  overflowing  with 
mercy  and  must  have  found  the  greatest  unrest  when  separated  from  the 
crowds  that  needed  His  gracious  ministrations. 

Having  probably  passed  through  several  towns  of  Phoenicia,  and  certainly 
visiting  Tyre  and  Sidon,  the  two  largest  cities  on  the  Mediterranean  coast,  Jesus 
left  the  latter  place  and  traveled  south- east wardly  along  the  I^ebanon  Mountains 
and  over  the  natural  archway  that  bridges  the  Leontes,  through  the  upper  Jordan 
valley,  under  the  Hermon  range,  and  by  Caesarea  Philippi,  on  to  the  uplands  of 
Gaulonitis,  and  thence  down  the  Jordan  valley  to  the  east  coast  of  Gennesaret, 
in  Decapolis.  How  long  He  was  in  making  this  circuit  from  Capernaum  on  the 
west  bank  of  the  lake,  or  what  were  the  works  that  He  performed,  none  of  the 
Gospel  writers  inform  us,  but  so  great  were  His  deeds  everywhere,  that  the  full 
importance  of  them  all  seems  to  have  been  overlooked,  for  which  reason  a  very 
small  part  of  our  I^ord's  labors  is  recorded. 

The  first  visit  Jesus  made  to  Decapolis  was  accompanied  by  a  merciful  act  in 
healing  a  demoniac,  but  His  reception  by  the  Gadarenes  was  so  inhospitable  that 
He  scarcely  more  than  stood  upon  the  coast  of  the  country.  Decapolis  was  a  part 
of  Palestine,  but  ten  of  its  principal  cities  had  resisted  theefibrtsof  the  Jews  who 
tried  repeatedly  to  capture  them  after  their  return  from  Babylonish  captivity. 
These  were  called  the  ten  allied  free  cities,  from  whence  the  name  Decapolis  is 
derived.  These  cities,  Pliny  tells  us,  were  Scythopolis,  Raphana,  Gadara,  Gerosa, 
Hippos,  Philadelphia,  Damascus,  Pella,  Canatha  and  Dion.  They  all  lay  east  of 
the  Jordan.  The  region  was  immensely  populous  in  the  time  of  Christ,  but 
much  of  it  to-day  is  a  deserted  wilderness  which  even  wild  animals  refuse  to 
inhabit.     On  account  of  the  sturdy  resistance  of  the  ten  cities,  which  were  joined 

(332) 


(333) 


334  FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

together  by  defensive  and  offensive  alliances,  the  Jews  held  the  Decapolitans  in 
great   contempt    and    called   them    heathen  ;    but   the   inhabitants   were   chiefly      J 
Romans,  with  a  mixture   of  Syrians    and   Babylonians,    and  the  religion   there 
practiced  was  that  of  paganism. 

Healing  the  Blind  and  Feeding  the  Multitude. 

In  this  country  Jesus  may  have  hoped  to  find  some  quiet  that  was  denied 
3Iim  elsewhere,  though  it  is  quite  as  reasonable  to  believe  that  His  visit  there  was 
made  in  pursuance  of  the  divine  purpose  to  preach  salvation  to  the  heathen.  But 
if  He  sought  rest  here  His  expectation  was  not  fulfilled,  for  His  fame  had  pre- 
ceded Him  and  almost  immediately  He  found  Himself  surrounded  by  a  multi- 
tude as  great  as  that  which  besieged  Him  in  Galilee.  The  people,  it  would  seem, 
came  not  so  much  to  hear  Him  as  to  seek  His  aid  as  the  omnipotent  physician, 
for  His  audiences  were  largely  composed  of  sick,  dumb,  blind  and  crippled,  until 
the  mountain  top  on  which  He  sat,  overlooking  the  sea  of  Galilee,  was  fairly 
covered  with  afflicted  humanity.  The  gospel  account  of  the  miracles  which  He 
performed  here  are  very  limited  ;  of  the  great  number  brought  to  Him  seeking 
restoration  from  their  misfortune,  only  one  is  mentioned  :  that  of  a  man  who  was 
not  only  deaf  but  also  had  an  impediment  in  his  speech.  When  the  unfortunate 
came  for  healing,  Jesus  took  him  aside  from  the  crowd  and  putting  His  fingers 
into  the  patient's  ears,  and  then  moistening  His  finger-tip  and  applying  it  to  the 
man's  tongue.  He  uttered  the  words  "  Be  opened,"  when  lo  !  the  gates  of  his  ears 
swung  open  to  let  in  the  hearing  so  long  shut  out,  and  the  tongue  found  its  cun- 
ning that  had  so  long  been  bridled  with  paralysis.  Not  only  could  the  recovered 
man  now  hear  the  teachings  of  his  benefactor,  but  his  tongue  was  loosed  to  give 
praise  for  the  blessing  bestowed. 

Following  this  miracle,  Jesus  performed  many  others  equally  wonderful, 
"insomuch  that  the  multitude  wondered,  when  they  saw  the  dumb  to  speak,  the 
maimed  to  be  whole,  the  lame  to  walk,  and  the  blind  to  see  ;  and  they  glorified 
the  God  of  Israel." 

Every  day  the  fame  of  these  remarkable  healings  spread  farther  and  farther, 
and  the  great  gathering  of  the  people  continued  increasing  until  the  region  about 
could  not  supply  provisions  to  feed  so  large  an  assemblage.  But  hunger  could  not 
drive  them  away  from  the  Teacher,  Master  and  Saviour.  The  situation  became 
at  length  so  critical  that  Jesus  called  His  disciples  to  Him  and  said,  "I  have 
compassion  on  the  multitude,  because  they  have  now  been  with  Me  three  days, 
and  have  nothing  to  eat :  and  if  I  send  them  away .  fasting  to  their  own 
houses,  they  will  faint  by  the  way,  for  divers  of  them  came  from  far."  But  to 
this  the  disciples  replied,  "Why,  Lord,  how  shall  so  great  a  multitude  as  four 
thousand  men,  besides  women  and  children,  be  fed  here  in  the  wilderness,  when 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


335 


we  liave  but  seven  loaves  and  a  few  little  fishes  ? ' '  Jesus  therefore  commanded  the 
gathering  to  sit  down  on  the  ground,  while  He  took  up  the  loaves  and  giving 
thanks  He  broke  them  into  pieces  and  gave  the  broken  portions  to  His  disciples 
whom  He  conunanded  to  feed  the  people.  Likewise  did  Jesus  bless  the  fishes 
and  these  He  also  ordered  His  disciples  to  set  before  the  hungry  concourse. 
Wonderful  miracle  !  The  broken  pieces  nuiltiplied  themselves  more  than  a 
thousand  fold,  and  the  few  little  fishes  increased  in  number  until  however 
appetizing  they  were,  and  however   famished  was  that    great  crowd  after  a  fast 

of   three    days,    p    — — __  __    ^     _ — -  ^ 

yet  there  was 
more  than  all 
that  vast  mul- 
titude could 
eat.  What  a 
great  picnic 
was  there  held 
on  the  moun- 
tain-side, what 
a  delightful  bas- 
ket-dinner, in 
which  hunger 
was  not  only 
appeased  but 
opportunity  ex- 
tended to  enjoy 
the  presence  of 

Jesus,  who  gave  the  feast,  and  when  all  had  eaten,  and  every  hungry  mouth 
had  been  filled  to  satiety,  the  more  provident  in  the  crowd  gathered  up  the  frag- 
ments of  the  dinner  and  found  that  they  filled  seven  baskets. 

Jesus  Refuses  to  give  a  Sign. 

After  miraculously  feeding  the  people,  Jesus  and  His  disciples  took  boat  and 
crossed  over  to  the  west  side  of  the  lake,  landing  at  or  near  the  town  of  Magdala, 
or  properly  Magdalan.  This  place  derives  its  chief  notoriety  from  having  been 
the  residence  of  the  penitent  woman  who  anointed  Jesus  at  the  feast  given  by 
Simon.  She  was  therefore  called  Mary  Magdalene.  But  the  word  which  applies 
to  the  place  is  very  similar  to  a  Jewish  term,  viegaddela,  used  to  designate  a  person 
wearing  plaited  hair,  which  was  a  custom  especially  common  among  women  of 
evil  morals  ;  so  that  it  is  by  an  association  of  term  and  place  that  Mary  Magda- 
lene has  been  regarded  as  a  fallen  woman,  and  with  no  better  reason.     The  village 


TOMB   OF   KING   HIRAM,    NEAR   TYRE. 


336  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

of  Magdalan  is  now  about  the  most  indecent  place  in  Palestine.     Apparel  is  for 
the  most  part  discarded. 

Jesus  may  have  expected  to  meet  here  the  penitent  woman  whom  He  so 
graciously  absolved,  or  He  may  have  sought  rest  in  one  of  the  villages  there- 
about, but  if  either  was  His  purpose  He  must  have  been  disappointed,  for  almost 
as  His  foot  touched  shore  a  crowd  gathered  about  Him,  among  the  number  being 
many  Sadducees,  who  began  at  once  to  open  a  controversy  by  asking  Him  to 
show  them  a  sign  from  heaven  whereby  to  prove  His  Messiahship.  They  no 
doubt  reminded  Him  of  the  current  beliefs  respecting  good  and  bad  spirits  that 
peopled  the  air,  by  whose  aid  those  in  league  with  them  were  able  to  perform 
many  surprising  things,  and  laid  great  force  on  the  miracles  which  Moses,  Elijah, 
Elisha  and  Samuel  had  done,  proving  them  to  have  been  instruments  of  God. 
"  Now,"  said  they,  "if  you  are  the  Messiah,  or  one  sent  before  to  prepare  His 
way,  give  us  a  sign  from  heaven  as  a  testimony  to  Your  pretentions."  But  Jesus 
would  not  be  tempted  ;  besides.  He  knew  that  if  works  and  merciful  deeds  and 
teachings  failed  to  convince  them,  signs,  of  whatever  character,  would  be  equally 
unavailing.  With  a  touch  of  ridicule  He  therefore  turned  upon  His  critics  and 
accused  them  of  professing  great  knowledge  respecting  the  weather,  which  they 
predicted  by  signs  in  the  sky,  and  yet  they  disregarded  the  more  striking  signs 
of  the  times,  the  portents  of  a  coming  Messiah  and  the  evidences  so  over- 
whelming of  His  manifestation  and  presence. 

The  Leaven  of  the  Pharisees. 

The  prejudices  against  Him  were  here  so  strong  that  Jesus  went  again  into 
a  boat  with  His  disciples  and  sailed  for  the  opposite  shore,  in  the  province  of 
Philip,  where  He  would  be  safer  than  in  the  Galilean  district.  In  departing,  His 
disciples  neglected  to  lay  in  any  provisions,  so  that  they  had  with  them  only  a 
single  loaf  of  bread.  When  they  reached  the  other  side,  at  Bethsaida,  but 
probably  before  debarking,  Jesus  charged  them  to  "  beware  of  the  leaven  of  the 
Pharisees  and  of  the  Sadducees,  and  of  the  leaven  of  Herod."  But  they  did  not 
understand  Him,  thinking  that  He  intended  to  reprove  them  for  neglecting  to 
provide  bread  for  their  journey.  Seeing  their  confusion  over  the  false  interpre- 
tation of  His  words,  Jesus  denounced  with  indignation  their  obtuseness  and  lack 
of  faith,  and  asked  how  they  could  be  doubtful  of  His  ability  and  disposition  to 
provide  bread  for  their  needs  after  having  witnessed  the  feeding  of  the  multitude 
on  two  occasions  from  a  few  loaves  of  bread  and  fishes.  It  was.  not  the  leaven  of 
material  bread  that  they  were  to  beware  of,  ' '  but  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Pharisees 
and  of  the  Sadducees."  Jesus  had  seen  how,  under  the  revilings  and  carpings 
of  the  Pharisees  and  scribes,  some  of  His  disciples  had  turned  away  from  Him 
at    Capernaum,   and  He  thus  gave  warning  against   attempts  which  would  no 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  337 

doubt  be  made  to  alienate  His  followers  in  the  land  to  which  they  had  now  come 
for  they  must  expect  that  His  enemies  would  beset  them  wherever  they  went. 

Sight  for  the  Blind  Man. 

As  Jesus  stepped  out  of  the  boat  at  Bethsaida,   He  was  surrounded  by  a 

crowd  of  people,  for  wherever  He  went  great  numbers  flocked  about  Him  craving 

His    divine    aid. 

Among    those 

who   sought   His 

assistance  was   a 

blind    man    that 

was    brought    to 

Him    by    some 

friends    who 

begged  Christ  to 

touch  the  unfor- 
tunate. It  thus 
appears  clear 
that  the  people 
had  associated 
the  touch  of  Jesus 
with  a  marv^elous 
virtue,  and  that 
they  believed 
His  healing  was 
performed  rather 
through  the  po- 
tentiality of  a  gift 
of  healing  than 
b}^  the  Divine 
power  that  was 
in  Him ;  others 
thought  that  He 
restored  the  af- 
flicted by  the  em- 
p  1  o  y  m  e  n  t  of 
magic  art  and  in-  Jksus  leading  the  blind  man  out  ok  the  town. 

cantation,  as  many  had  pretended  to  do  before  Him.  To  destroy  this  impres- 
sion, Jesus  proceeded  to  eff^ect  His  cures  by  the  use  of  different  outward 
means   to   show    that    no   prescribed  forms  governed    His   actions.      Therefore, 


338  FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

when  the  blind  man  was  brought  to  Him,  instead  of  immediately  opening 
His  eyes,  as  He  might  have  done,  Jesus  led  the  afflicted  one  out  of  the  town, 
probably  to  the  better  arouse  His  spiritual  insight,  and  when  alone  He  spat  upon 
the  sealed  eyes  and  then  putting  His  hands  upon  him  asked  the  blind  man  if  he 
could  see.  The  restoration  was  only  partial,  for  the  afflicted  one  looked  up  and 
said,  /'I  see  men  as  trees  walking."  But  Jesus  certainly  had  a  purpose  in 
employing  two  efforts  to  complete  the  miracle  ;  He  no  doubt  gave  him  according 
to  the  measure  of  his  faith.  If  at  first  the  man  had  hope,  Jesus  did  enough  for 
him  to  excite  his  faith,  and  when  faith  took  the  place  of  hope  Jesus  touched  his 
eyes  and  the  man  saw  clearly,  so  that  belief  superseded  faith.  But  instead  of 
working  these  beneficent  deeds  to  procure  the  applause  and  gratitude  of  the 
world,  Jesus  did  them  purely  as  acts  of  mercy,  with  no  desire  for  reward  or 
popularity.  Thus  when  He  restored  the  blind  man  He  sent  him  away  to  his 
house  saying,  "  Neither  go  into  the  town,  nor  tell  it  to  any  one  in  the  town." 

CsEsarea.  Philippi  arid  its  Beauteous  Situation. 

From  Bethsaida  Jesus  and  His  disciples  journe5'ed  northward  to  Csesarea 
Philippi,  which  was  located  not  far  from  the  northeastern  boundary  of  Decapolis, 
The  city  had  been  rebuilt,  three  years  before  the  birth  of  Christ,  by  Philip,  upon 
the  site  of  a  very  ancient  town  called,  in  honor  of  the  Canaanitish  god,  Baal- Gad, 
and  was  renamed  out  of  flattery  for  Augustus  Caesar,  and  to  which  his  own  name 
was  added  to  distinguish  the  city  from  Coesarea  on  the  Mediterranean  coast. 
Immediately  before  its  reconstruction  in  a  style  of  great  splendor,  the  place  was 
known  as  Panais  (now  Banais) ,  which  was  given  it  in  honor  of  the  shepherd  god 
Pan,  worshiped  by  the  Greeks,  to  whom  a  cave  near  by,  and  out  of  which  the 
head  waters  of  the  Jordan  gush,  was  sacred.  In  this  sylvan  district  the  first. 
Grecian  immigrants  settled,  and  finding  a  cave  at  the  base  of  Mount  Hermon,  in 
the  extremity  of  the  Jordan  valley,  with  the  most  romantic  and  picturesque 
surroundings,  they  dedicated  it  as  a  sanctuary  to  their  sylvan  deity,  which  Herod 
recognized  by  erecting  there  a  magnificent  temple  of  white  marble  in  deification 
of  his  emperor,  thus  uniting  Roman  with  the  Greek  admiration  and  glorification 
of  the  place.  On  one  of  the  fallen  pillars  of  that  Herodic  temple  we  sat  and 
lunched  our  last  day  in  Palestine.  Hanno  says:  "This  cave  lies  immediately 
behind  a  raised  yet  retired  nook  or  hollow  among  the  hills,  and  immediately 
beneath  a  conical  height  of  more  than  looo  feet,  rising  between  two  of  those 
deep  ravines  which  run  up  into  the  great  mountain,  upon  the  summit  of  which 
there  now  stand  the  noblest  ruins  that  the  whole  country  around  exhibits,  equal 
in  extent,  if  not  in  grandeur  to  those  of  Heidelberg — the  ruins  of  the  castle  of 
Zubeibeh.  Immediately  beneath  the  entrance  into  the  cave — along  a  breadth  of 
more  than  loo  feet — there  gush  forth  from  among  the  stones  a  thousand  bubbling 


CAVE   DEDICATED   TO   THE  WORSHIP   OF   PAN. 


(539) 


340  '  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

rills,  coming  from  some  hidden  fountain-head,  and  from  their  long  dark  subter- 
ranean journey  springing  all  joyously  together  into  the  light  of  day,  forming  at 
once  by  their  union  a  stream  which  is  one  of  ttie  chief  sources  of  the  Jordan." 
The  district  is  one  of  the  most  fruitful  in  all  Palestine,  as  well  as  affording  the 
grandest  view  of  mountain,  hill,  valley,  canon,  caves,  rivers,  fountains  and 
fertile  fields  of  pomegranates,  olives,  vines,  fig-trees,  and  grain,  that  human  eye 

ever  rested  upon. 

Jesus  at  Caesarea  Philippi. 

To  this  magnificent  region  Jesus  directed  His  footsteps,  followed  by  His 
disciples,  who,  like  Himself,  had  become  objects  of  popular  hatred  through  the 
imputations,  accusations  and  revilings  of  the  Pharisees,  Sadducees,  scribes  and 
rabbis,  who  had  suppressed  their  differences  to  make  common  war  on  Christ.  As 
they  journeyed  northward  Jesus  became  reflective,  pondering  upon  the  hatreds  and 
mad  ambitions  of  the  world,  of  the  suffering  which  He  had  relieved,  the  truths 
which  He  h^d  declared,  the  salvation  which  He  had  promised,  the  fulfilment  of 
prophecies  upon  which  the  hopes,  the  aspirations,  the  faith  of  the  nation  had  for 
ages  been  concentrated,  and  of  His  rejection,  His  calumniation.  His  peril.  The 
people  knew  Him  as  a  worker  of  wonders,  a  just  man,  a  living  example  of 
humility  and  mercy,  but  they  knew  Him  not  as  God.  In  this  mood  He  turned 
to  His  heavenly  Father  and  prayed,  as  was  His  practice  whenever  the  burdens 
of  depression  from  realization  of  the  wrongs  He  suffered  were  heaviest,  and 
while  thus  seeking  solace  from  God  He  was  interrupted  by  the  disciples  coming 
to  Him.  From  prayer  He  turned  to  questioning  them,  asking,  "  Whom  do  men 
say  that  I,  the  Son  of  Man,  am?"  and  they  answered,  "Some  say  that  Thou 
art  John  the  Baptist ;  some  say  Elias,  and  others  say  Jeremias,  or  one  of  the  old 
prophets  risen  again."  All  this  Jesus  well  knew,  but  He  desired  to  test  the 
faith  of  His  followers,  and  therefore  He  asked  again,  "  But  whom  say  ye  that 
I  am  ? ' '  Whereupon  Peter,  as  spokesman  for  all  the  disciples,  with  a  burst 
of  faith  and  devotion,  replied,  "Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living 
God." 

Up  to  this  time,  while  frequently  intimating  His  Messiahship,  He  had  not 
directly  declared  His  divinity  except  to  the  Samaritan  woman,  and  once  by 
assent  to  the  Apostles,  but  now  He  spoke  clearly  by  open  announcement,  saying, 
"  Blessed  art  thou  Simon  Bar-jona  :  for  flesh  and  blood *hath  not  revealed  it  unto 
thee,  but  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  And  as  a  reward  for  the  faithfulness 
displayed,  Jesus  told  Peter  that  He  would  make  His  faith  the  foundation  of  His 
church  which  shall  endure  forever,  and  that  His  disciples  should  also  be  the 
foundation  stones,  and  their  works  its  superstructure,  but  He  charged  them  to 
tell  no  one  that  He  was  the  Christ. 


(340 


342  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

Jesus  Rebukes  Peter. 

Having  received  expressions  of  their  devout  faith,  Jesus  became  more  confi- 
dential with  his  disciples  and  now  took  occasion  to  reveal  not  only  the  full  purpose 
of  His  mission  on  earth  but  explained  to  them  what  a  sacrifice,  in  expiatory 
offering  for  the  sins  of  the  world,  He  would  at  last  have  to  make  :  plainly  telling 
them  that  He  must  go  to  Jerusalem,  where  He  would  not  only  be  rejected 
as  the  Messiah,  but  be  subjected  to  abuse  and  in  the  end  to  execution  by 
His  enemies,  though  on  the  third  day  thereafter  He  would  be  raised  firom 
the  dead. 

Peter,  who  was  an  impetuous,  impulsive  and  emotional  man,  whose  devotion 
would  lead  him  to  any  extremity  at  the  call  of  distress,  could  not  withhold  expres- 
sion of  his  fervor  as  a  friend  and  follower  of  the  lyord,"  and  he  therefore  threatened 
to  interpose  his  efforts  to  prevent  the  fulfillment  of  Christ's  rueful  prophecy  :  "  Then 
Peter  took  Him,  and  began  to  rebuke  Him,  saying,  '  Be  it  far  from  Thee,  Lord  : 
this  shall  not  be  unto  Thee.'  "  He  had  not  yet  understood  Jesus,  nor  His 
purpose,  looking  always  to  the  material  rather  than  the  spiritual  salvation  of 
Israel,  and  regarded  Jesus  as  that  power  which  was  not  only  able  to  circumvent 
the  plans  of  dangerous  enemies  but  which  would,  as  a  last  resource,  humble  Israel 
before  its  final  triumph  as  a  nation  by  compelling  a  recognition  of  His  Messiah- 
ship.  His  conceptions  were  therefore  of  a  kingdom  of  this  earth  instead  of  a 
heavenly  kingdom.  For  this  sordid  belief  Jesus  reproached  him,  saying,  "Get 
thee  behind  Me,  Satan  (tempter)  ;  thou  art  an  offence  unto  Me  ;  for  thou 
savourest  not  of  the  things  that  be  of  God,  but  those  that  be  of  men." 

To  give  a  more  apt  illustration  of  His  meaning,  and  to  disabuse  the  minds  of 
His  followers  of  such  illusions  as  Peter  had  given  creation  to.  He  called  His 
disciples  and  the  people  to  Him  and  said  to  them,  "  Whosoever  will  come  after 
Me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  Me.  For  whosoever 
will  save  his  life  shail  lose  it ; .  but  whosoever  will  lose  his  life  for  My  sake  and  the 
gospel's,  the  same  shall  save  it.  For  what  shall  it  profit  a  man,  if  he  shall  gain  the 
whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul  ?  .  .  Whosoever  therefore  shall  be  ashamed  of 
Me  and  My  words,  in  this  adulterous  and  sinful  generation,  of  him  also  shall  the 
Son  of  Man  be  ashamed  ;  for  He  shall  come  in  His  own  glory,  and  in  the  glory 
of  His  Father  with  the  holy  angels,  and  then  He  shall  reward  every  man  according 
to  his  works.  And  He  said  unto  them,  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  there  be 
some  of  them  that  stand  here  who  shall  not  taste  of  death  till  they  have  seen  the 
Son  of  Man  coming  in  His  Kingdom." 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

IRRADIATED   MOUNTAIN   OF  TRANSFIGURATION. 

W     *  EAVING  the  city  of  Caesarea  Philippi  (the  ruins  of  which  appeared 

I       J      to    us    sadly    tremendous   as   we  encamped   there   last   December), 

I       m      Jesus  may  have  made  a  circuit  of  a  considerable  region  thereabout,  or 

•'^^^~*      He  may  have  gone  into  retirement  with '  His  disciples  for  the  double 

purpose  of  privately  instructing  them  in  their  duties,  which  they  must  soon  take 

upon  themselves  without  His  helpful  presence,  and  also  to  escape  the  persecutions 

of  His  enemies  who  continued  to  menace  His  life.     But  where  He  went  or  what 

He  did  we  do  not  know  ;  there  is  no  record  ;  there  is  no  intimation.     For  at  least 

six  days  Jesus  was  practically  withdrawn  from  the  world,  so  far  as  the  gospe! 

narratives  are  concerned,  for  it  is  written  that  "Six  days  after  these  sayings  [His 

rebuke  of  Peter  and  declarations  to  His  disciples  and  the  people]  Jesus  taketh 

Peter,  James  and  John,  his  brother,  and  leadeth  them  up  into  a  high  mountain 

apart  by  themselves,  to  pray." 

Why  did  Jesus  show  this  apparent  favoritism  ?  What  prompted  Him  to 
permit  only  these  three  to  behold  the  glory  which  was  now  about  to  be  visited  upon 
Him,  and  withhold  such  ineffable  testimony  from  the  other  nine  ?  It  is  enough 
for  us  to  know  that  He  had  good  reasons  for  so  doing,  and  they  are  not  beyond 
the  pale  of  plausible  supposition.  In  a  company  of  twelve  men  there  are  always 
to  be  found  great  differences  of  temperament,  and  it  is  this  variety  of  dispositions 
that  creates  friendships  and  arouses  dislikes.  All  of  the  apostles  were  no  doubt 
ardently  attached  to  Jesus,  but  there  were  some  who  must  have  become  closer  to 
Him  than  others  ;  some  who  blended  their  lives  with  His  own  more  perfectly  ; 
some  who  understood  Him  better  ;  some  who  loved  Him  with  a  greater  fullness 
of  devotion,  and  some  who  better  comprehended  His  mission,  than  others.  They 
had  all  sat  at  His  feet  and  listened,  with  admiration,  wonderment  and  feelings  of 
endearment,  to  His  wisdom  and  counsel,  but  some  must  have  come  closer  to  His 
heart  than  others,  and  felt  the  throb  of  His  bosom  and  interpreted  the  voice  of 
His  soul.  Why,  even  in  the  family  circle,  while  parents  may  love  all  their 
children  alike,  yet  there  are  one  or  two  of  a  half-dozen  that  seem  to  ask  more 
ardently  for  the  parental  blessings,  whose  attachmeiits  appear  to  be  stronger,  • 
whose  conduct  gives  more  cordial  demonstration  of  affectionate  endeannent.  In 
short,   some   natures  blend,   while  others  will  not  assimilate  ;    some   are  drawn 

(343) 


344  FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONE. 

irresistibly  together,  while  between  others  there  is  the  barrier  of  diffidence,  or 

uncongeniality,  or  repulsion,  forbidding  confidence,  companionship.     Thus  while 

Jesus  certainly  felt  great  warmth  of  friendship  for  all  His  disciples,  and  this  love 

was  returned  by  them,  yet  some  enjoyed  a  degree  of  affection  much  greater  than 

others.     Indeed,  Jesus  Himself  plainly  indicated  His  special  love  for  John  and 

James,   those  sons  of  thunder,    and  for  Peter,   on  more  than  one  occasion.     It 

is  quite  probable  also,  that  James,  John  and  Peter  were  better  prepared  to  receive 

the  testimony  which  was  about  to  be  given,  for  their  spiritual  insight,  while  not 

yet  entirely  clear,  was  greater,  we  must  believe,  than  that  of  the  other  disciples 

who  had  not  yet  come  to  a  realization  of  the  spiritual  kingdom  which  Christ  was 

to  set  up. 

Oh,  Wondrous  Vision  I 

Having  fully  revealed  Himself  to  His  apostles  as  the  Messiah  promised,  the 
time  had  now  come  for  offering  another  testimony,  in  addition  to  the  miracles 
performed,  to  the  complete  substantiation  of  His  claims,  in  which  God  himself 
was  to  be  the  witness.  Therefore,  while  Jesus  was  praying  on  the  mountain 
peak,  somewhere  near  Csesarea  Philippi,  the  proof  of  His  divinity  suddenly 
blazed  up  in  a  cloud  of  glory,  to  dazzle,  bewilder  and  to  awe  the  three  disciples. 
"And  as  He  prayed,  He  was  transfigured  before  them;  the  fashion  of  His 
countenance  was  altered,  and  His  face  did  shine  as  the  sun,  and  His  raiment  was 
as  white  as  the  light,  glistening  and  shining  exceeding  white  as  snow  ;  so  as  no 
fuller  on  earth  can  white  them.  And  behold,  there  talked  with  Him  two  men, 
which  were  Moses  and  Elias  :  who  appeared  in  glory,  and  spoke  of  His  decease 
which  He  should  accomplish  at  Jerusalem.  But  Peter  and  they  that  were  with 
Him  were  heavy  with  sleep  ;  and  when  they  were  awake,  they  saw  His  glory, 
and  the  two  men  that  stood  with  Him." 

Oh,  what  wondrous,  sublime,  ecstatic  spectacle  !  Behold  this  glorious  vision  ! 
Jesus  had  heretofore  appeared  to  His  disciples  and  the  multitudes  as  only  a 
servant,  a  man  so  merciful  that  His  heart  was  always  bursting  with  sympathy ; 
so  kind  that  His  eyes  spoke  benedictions  upon  all  who  came  to  claim  His  help  ; 
so  generous,  that  He  gave  up  everything  and  worked  unceasingly  that  the 
suffering  might  be  able  to  share  all  His  bounty.  They  had  seen  Him  pale  and 
faint  from  protracted  exertion  in  His  mission  of  immeasurable  mercy  ;  His  feet 
blistered  from  hard  travel  over  dusty  highways,  and  rugged  steeps  and  rocky 
valleys  ;  they  had  seen  Him  reviled,  traduced,  persecuted  by  mendacious  Phari- 
sees, who  sowed  His  paths  with  slander,  and  set  crowds  against  Him  by  the 
vilest  of  all  possible  misrepresentations.  But  now  behold  the  everlasting 
testimony  of  that  great  Trinity  of  which  God  Himself  stood  at  the  head.  See 
how  His  benign  face  shines  like  a  blazing  sun,  and  how  His  worn  raiment  scintil- 
lates with  ineffable  light  radiating  from  His  precious  body.     Glory  on  His  head, 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


345 


and  at  His  feet,  and  holding  Him  \u  the  sublimation  of  Messianic  splendor,  and 
the  super-exaltation  of  transfiguration. 

The  Glory  of  Heaven  Revealed. 

How  long  had  Jesus  been  praying? — perhaps  through   the  long  watches, 

until  His  disci- 
ples' eyes  grew 
heavy  with  the 
weight  of  sleep, 
and  until  dark- 
ness had  flung 
down  the  curtain 
of  midnight,  and 
the  stars  seemed 
to  wink  with 
drowsiness.  But 
such  flood  of 
heavenly  light 
flashed  over  the 
mountain  top 
that  midnight  be- 
came as  midday, 
and  awoke  to  liv- 
ing ecstasy  the 
dreaming  disci- 
ples, whose  eyes 
opened  upon  a 
scene  more  daz- 
zling with  awe- 
inspiring  magnif- 
icence than  was 
ever  before  or 
since  witnessed. 
Behold  Jesus,  the 
glorified  one,  and 
the  great  law- 
giver   bound    in 

spiritual  companionship  with  the  great  prophet,  the  three  conversing  as  in  loving 
brotherhood,  but  in  which  compassion  and  sorrow  told  how  all  heaven  was 
moved  by  the  sacrifice  that  was  soon  to  be  made. 


SCRIBES   OF   ANCIKXX   PALKSTINE. 


346  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

Gradually  the  vision  faded,  and  when  Peter  recovered  from  his  overwhelming 
awe  at  the  beatification  of  his  Lord,  in  the  enthusiasm  of  intense  felicity  he  said 
to  Jesus,  "  Master,  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  here  ;  and  if  Thou  wilt,  let  us  make 
three  tabernacles ;  one  for  Thee,  and  one  for  Moses,  and  one  for  Elias. ' '  He 
would  on  this  sacred  spot  have  elaborate  and  adorned  tents  pitched,  one  in  honor 
of  Divinit}^  a  second  in  honor  of  the  Law,  and  the  third  in  honor  of  Prophecy. 
But,  "while  he  thus  sp^ke,  there  came  a  bright  cloud,  and  overshadowed  them  ; 
and  they  feared  as  they  entered  into  the  cloud,  and  <^here  came  a  voice  out  of  the 
eloud,  'This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased  :  hear  ye  Him.'  " 
It  was  the  glorious  cloud  of  God's  presence,  the  Shekinah  that  symbolized 
Jehovah' s  appearance  in  the  Tabernacle,  the  great  light  that  illuminates  all  the 
shores  of  eternity.  Such  blinding  effulgence  that  the  three  disciples  fell  upon 
their  faces  with  fear,  but  in  another  moment  the  visitation  was  ended ;  the 
flaming  cloud  uprose  ;  day  broke  over  the  mountain,  and  as  the  voice  ceased 
Jesus  touched  the  three,  saying,  "Arise,  be  not  afraid." 

Jesus  Points  to  John  as  Forerunner. 

The  gentle  touch  of  Jesus'  hand  dispelled  all  fear  from  His  disciples,  and 
with  returning  trustfulness  how  they  must  have  felt  a  worshipful  impulse  ;  and 
what  flattery  and  exaltation  they  must  have  experienced  at  the  remembrance 
of  the  glorious  vision,  and  how  anxious  they  must  have  been  to  tell  their 
experience  to  their  less  favored  companions ;  and  to  proclaim  to  the  people  the 
heavenly  manifestation  made  in  their  presence  in  demonstration  of  the  divine 
Sonship  of  Jesus.  But  as  they  came  down  from  the  peak  of  transfiguration, 
Christ  especially  charged  them  to  reveal  nothing  of  what  they  had  just  seen  until 
He  was  risen  from  the  dead. 

The  vision  of  deification  probably  served  to  render  the  disciples  more 
diffident  in  their  intercourse  with  Jesus,  for  while  the  three  talked  freely  among 
themselves  as  to  what  could  be  His  meaning  of  rising  from  the  dead,  they  had 
so  far  lost  their  familiarity  with  the  Lord  that  it  would  appear  they  were  too 
reserved  to  ask  Him  for  a  full  exposition  of  His  allusion.  But  they  held 
discourse  with  Him  on  other  subjects  equally  important  to  them,  and  on  one 
subject  particularly,  which  had  before  been  frequently  alluded  to,  namely,  that  of 
the  forerunner  whom  the  scribes  declared  should  first  come  to  prepare  the  way  of 
the  Messiah.  "  And  His  disciples  asked  Him,  saying,  '  Why  then  say  the  scribes 
that  Elias  must  first  come  ? '  "  It  was  the  seeking  after  light  on  pne  of  the  oldest 
traditions  of  the  Jews  since  they  had  become  a  nation  ;  a  tradition  which  had 
such  strong  hold  upon  the  beliefs  of  the  people  that  even '  the  disciples  could  not 
wholly  divest  themselves  of  their  faith  in  its  truth,  for  otherwise  they  would  not 
have  propounded  such  a  question.      Respecting  the  sacredness  and  tenacity  of 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE.  347 

such  a  belief,  Jesus  gave  them  a  full  answer,  which  must  have  clearly  satisfied 
their  longings  for  a  reconcilement  of  their  traditions  with  the  appearance  of 
Christ.  Said  He,  ' '  Elias  truly  shall  first  come  and  restore  all  things.  But  I  say 
unto  you,  that  Elias  is  come  already,  and  they  knew  him  not,  but  have  done  unto 
him  whatsoever  they  listed  ;  likewise  also,  as  it  is  written  of  Him,  shall  the  Son 
of  Man  suffer  many  things,  and  be  set  at  naught  of  them.  Then  the  disciples 
understood  that  He  spake  unto  them  of  John  the  Baptist."  In  other  words,  He 
explained  to  them:  "The  tradition  of  a  forerunner  of* the  Christ  promised  is 
true  ;  the  Jews  have  believed  that  Elias  would  be  that  forerunner,  hence  I  say 
that  Elias  has  come.  But  John  the  Baptist  was  the  true  forerunner,  and  he  it 
was  who  prepared  the  way,  but  the  Jews  rejected  him  and  finally  put  him  to 
death.  The  Saviour  has  indeed  come,  but  the  people  having  rejected  John  will 
now  reject  Me,  and,  with  even  greater  hostility  than  they  showed  for  John,  have 
set  Me  at  naught  and  will  very  soon  crucify  Me." 

Epilepsy  Cured. 

As  Jesus  and  His  three  favored  companions  came  down  from  the  mountain, 
which  was  on  the  day  following  His  transfiguration.  He  saw  a  multitude  sur- 
rounding the  nine  disciples,  creating  a  tumult  by  derisive  shouts  and  confusing 
questions.  As  Jesus  drew  near,  the  crowd  recognized  Him  and  leaving  the 
abashed  disciples  they  rushed  out  to  greet  Him.  Among  the  gathering  were 
many  scribes,  for  they  did  not  cease  following  Him  about,  striving  to  counteract 
His  influence  and  to  array  the  people  against  Him.  When  the  crowd  reached 
Jesus,  He  asked  the  scribes  what  was  the  cause  of  the  disturbance,  but  their 
answer  was  given  by  a  poor  suppliant  father,  who,  kneeling  at  Christ's  feet, 
entreated  Him,  saying,  "Lord,  have 'mercy,  I  beseech  Thee,  and  look  upon  my 
son  ;  for  he  is  mine  only  child,  which  hath  a  dumb  spirit ;  for  he  is  a  lunatic,  and 
sore  vexed,  for  ofttimes  he  falleth  into  the  fire,  and  oft  into  the  water.  And 
wheresoever  he  taketh  him,  he  teareth  him,  and  bruising  him  hardly  departeth 
from  him  ;  and  he  suddenly  crieth  out  and  foameth  and  gnasheth  with  his  teeth, 
and  pineth  away  ;  and  I  brought  him  to  Thy  disciples  and  besought  them  that 
they  should  cure  him,  and  they  could  not." 

What  a  sad  picture  was  here  presented.  The  only  child  of  a  doting  father  ; 
from  a  nursling  in  which  parental  hope  and  expectation  of  useful,  prosperous  and 
honorable  station  budded  had  now  flowered  in  bitter  disappointment,  and  by 
inexpressible  misfortune  had  become  a  living  wound,  an  object  of  perpetual  grief, 
a  concern  of  inextinguishable  anxiety,  and  a  sorrow  that  cannot  be  measured 
even  by  death  of  the  first-born.  And  in  this  depth  of  affliction  the  son  and 
father  lived  on  through  years  of  torment  until  the  hope  that  had  withered,  and 
the  ambition  that  was  blasted,  and  the  day-dreams  that  had  faded,  budded  forth 


348  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

again  in  sudden  and  glorious  surprise  at  the  appearance  of  Jesus.  How  must  the 
father  have  felt  when  he  first  heard,  in  profound  astonishment,  of  the  wondrous 
cures  that  Christ  and  His  disciples  were  performing  ?  Did  his  aching  heart  thrill 
with  expectation,  and  did  he  now  look  forward  to  the  restoration  of  his  terribly 
afiflicted  boy  through  Divine  instrumentality  ?  Yes  ;  buried  hope  must  have  been 
quickly  resurrected,  for  hearing  that  the  disciples  were  in  his  vicinity,  he  carried 
his  demoniac  child  to  them,  seeking  their  aid  for  that  relief  which  others  had 
time  and  again  tried  to  afford,  but  in  vain.  Now  he  brings  the  demented  and 
wasted  and  epileptic  boy  and  tells  them  how  great  are  his  sufferings,  and  how 
terrible  are  his  ravings,  and  how  pity-compelling  are  the  exhibitions  of  Satanic 
influence  which  mark  nearly  every  hour  of  his  life.  The  nine  apostles  are  moved 
by  the  story  of  the  father  and  the  sad  appearance  of  the  boy,  about  whom  they 
now  assemble  to  work  the  miracle  of  his  cure  ;  but  speak  as  they  may,  pray  as 
they  may,  manipulate  him  as  they  may,  the  evil  spirit  will  not  leave  him.  It 
requires  stronger  faith  than  theirs  to  overpower  Satan  ;  it  needs  a  holier  physician 
than  can  be  found  among  the  nine  to  grapple  successfully  with  such  a  tenacious 
disease  and  possession.  One  after  another  they  try  to  relieve  the  boy,  but  in 
vain  ;  then  they  renew  their  efforts  altogether,  but  it  is  of  no  use,  the  evil  spirit 
will  not  come  out  of  the  victim. 

The  people  laugh  at  this  discomfiture  of  the  disciples  and  deride  their  preten- 
sions, while  the  father  buries  his  face  in  his  hands,  cast  down  with  hopelessness 
again  into  even  greater  depression  than  before.  But  the  shouts  of  scoffers  are 
suddenly  hushed,  as  Jesus  is  seen  approaching,  and  the  voice  of  derision  is 
changed  to  a  cry  of  exultation  and  welcome.  As  one  body,  the  people  run  out  to 
meet  Jesus  with  acclaims,  followed  by  the  father,  in  whom  hope  springs  forth 
anew.  And  now  we  behold  him  in  an  attitude  of  worshipful  humiliation  at  the 
feet  of  our  Lord,  begging  of  Him  that  aid  which  His  nine  apostles  had  been 
unable  to  afford.  Learning  of  the  failure,  Jesus  offered  a  rebuke  to  the  disciples 
of  small  faith,  saying  :  "  O  faithless  and  perverse  generation,  how  long  shall  I  be 
with  you?  how  long  shall  I  suffer  you?  "  And  to  the  father,  "Bring  thy  son 
hither  to  me." 

The  suffering  child  was  forthwith  brought,  but  as  he  came  into  the  immediate 
presence  of  the  Divine  Physician,  he  was  attacked  with  a  violent  paroxysm  which 
threw  him  down,  and  there  he  lay  in  terrible  convulsions,  groaning,  frothing  and 
in  contortions  that  must  have  excited  all  that  crowd  with  great  sympathy.  Jesus 
asked  the  father  how  long  the  boy  had  suffered  from  this  frightful  affliction,  and 
received  for  reply,  "  Since  childhood,  and  ofttimes  it  hath  cast  him  into  the  fire, 
and  into  the  water  to  destroy  him  ;  but  if  Thou  canst  do  anything,  have  compas- 
sion on  us  and  help  us."  Christ  was  now  to  give  not  only  an  evidence  of  His 
divine  power,  but  to  impart  a  lesson  by  way  of  illustrating  the  faith  necessary  to 


FROM   MANGER   TO  THRONE.  34^ 

salvation  as  well  as  that  which  is  required  of  those  seeking  divine  aid.  Therefore 
said  He, ' '  If  thou  canst  believe  ;  all  things  are  possible  to  him  that  believeth. ' '  At 
this  the  father  took  hope,  but  yet  he  had  been  so  often  disappointed,  and  the  cure 
of  such  a  sorely  and  long  afflicted  one  seemed  to  him  so  nearly  impossible,  that  in 
despairing  voice  and  with  eyes  filled  with  tears,  he  exclaimed,  ' '  L,ord,  I  believe 
help  Thou  mine  unbelief." 

This  half-hearted  faith  was  yet  a  manifestation  of  a  desire  for  greater  strength 
to  believe,  which  Jesus  rewarded  by  casting  out  the  evil  spirit  that  possessed  the 
boy,  but  before  finally  departing  the  sufferer  fell  into  another  fit  which  so  convulsed 
him  that  at  its  expiration  he  lay  as  one  dead,  with  rigid  features,  pallid  countenance, 
glazed  eyes,  so  that  all  who  looked  on  him  believed  that  the  boy  was  indeed  dead, 
and  so  declared.  But  the  miracle  was  concluded  by  Jesus  taking  the  subject  by 
the  hand  and  lifting  him  up  fully  restored  and  delivering  him  sound  in  mind,  pure 
in  body,  healthy  in  every  organ,  to  his  overjoyed  father,  "and  they  were  all 
amazed  at  the  mighty  power  of  God." 

The  Astonished  Disciples. 

The  confusion  which  the  nine  disciples  felt  before  the  crowd  over  their  failure 
to  restore  the  boy  was  not  nearly  so  great  as  that  which  they  now  experienced 
before  their  Lord,  and  they  sought  the  earliest  opportunity  for  privately  asking 
Jesus  why  they  had  been  unable  to  cast  out  the  evil  spirit.  He  answered  them 
by  rebuking  them  for  their  unbelief,  and  by  declaring  that  had  they  proper  faith  no 
difficulty  would  be  so  great  that  they  could  not  overcome  it,  but  without  this  firmly 
convincing  belief  and  this  strong  sustaining  faith  they  could  do  nothing  above 
other  men. 

After  remaining  for  some  time  in  the  district  about  Caesarea  Philippi,  Jesus 
took  His  departure  from  that  territory  and  went  over  again  into  Galilee,  followed 
by  His  twelve  apostles,  proceeding  probably  by  way  of  Dan  and  across  the  Lebanon 
mountains,  thus  avoiding  the  more  frequented  highways.  His  active  ministry 
was  now  approaching  its  close,  and  His  time  was  henceforth  largely  devoted  to 
instructing  His  apostles  in  their  duties,  and  in  preparing  them  for  the  tragic  end 
of  His  life,  now  near  at  hand. 

As  they  journeyed,  or  possibly  while  in  some  retreat  among  the  mountains, 
where  retirement  from  the  people  was  not  likely  to  be  interrupted,  Jesus  foretold 
to  His  disciples  again  how  He  would  soon  be  betrayed,  and  executed,  and  that 
three  days  after  His  death  He  would  be  resurrected.  The  disciples  however  could 
not  understand  His  prophec}^,  seemingly  choosing  to  regard  His  words  as  con- 
veying some  secret  meaning,  like  that  veiled  in  His  parables,  but  they  were  afraid 
to  ask  Him  for  an  explanation.  They  did  not  cease  to  believe  that  He  would 
sooner  or  later  exercise   His  divine  power  for  tl;e  establishing  of  the  material 


350  FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

kingdom  which  all  Jewr>'  had  so  long  looked  forward  to,  and  though  He  gave 

them  many  assurances  that  His  was  a  spiritual  and  not  a  material  kingdom,  yet 

they  preferred  to  consider  His  words  as  dark  sayings  rather  than  abandon  their  old 

traditions  and  beliefs. 

Christ  Pays  Tax. 

After  wandering  for  a  while  in  Northern  Galilee,  Jesus  proceeded  to  Caper- 
naum, still  in  company  of  His  disciples,  where  He  avoided  strangers  because 
there  was  such  hostility  against  Him  that  His  public  appearance  there  now  would 
certainly  have  been  quickly  followed  by  His  arrest.  He  no  doubt  lodged  with 
Peter,  or  with  the  sons  of  Zebedee — ^John  and  James,  who  were  probably  better 
able  to  care  for  Him.  But  His  disciples  did  not  withdraw  themselves,  for  shortly 
after  their  arrival  at  Capernaum  one  of  the  tribute  collectors  came  to  Peter  and 
asked  him  if  His  Master  had  yet  paid  His  tax.  This  tribute  was  a  levy  first 
made  by  Moses  upon  the  people  to  provide  funds  for  the  building  of  a  Tabernacle, 
which  was  collected  yearly,  at  the  time  of  the  "  numbering  of  the  people."  The 
collection  continued  up  to  the  time  of  the  captivity  of  the  Jews,  and  was  re-imposed 
after  the  return  from  bondage,  but  the  payment  was  not  enforced  by  provisions  of 
legal  penalties,  being  rather  in  the  nature  of  a  free  offering  towards  the  maintenance 
of  the  Temple  service.  The  amount,  too,  was  small,  being  about  $i .  75  of  our  money 
for  every  Israelite  above  twenty  years  of  age,  in  whatever  country  he  might  be 
living,  the  priesthood  alone  being  exempted.  But  small  as  was  this  tax  offering, 
in  the  aggregate  it  amounted  to  a  vast  sum  which,  constantly  accumulating,  filled 
the  Temple  treasury  and  was  the  object  that  led  to  repeated  violations  of  the 
sanctuary  and  finally  to  the  destruction  of  both  the  Temple  and  Jerusalem  by 
Titus,  and  the  sequestration  of  the  treasure  by  his  father,  the  Emperor  Vespasian, 
who  transferred  it  to  the  Capitoline  Jupiter. 

It  is  probable  that  when  Jesus  arrived  in  Capernaum,  the  period  for  making 
the  annual  collection  was  passed  and  that  He  was  in  arrears,  for  otherwise  we 
cannot  understand  the  spirit  of  the  inquiry  which  the  collector  addressed  to  Peter. 
Anxious  to  perform  a  service  and  to  discharge  an  obligation  for  his  Master,  Peter 
acknowledged  the  unpaid  tax  and  went  immediately  away  to  his  house  to  get  the 
money.  But  on  the  very  threshold  he  was  arrested  by  Jesus  who,  learning  of  the 
cause  of  his  return,  began  questioning  His  devoted  disciple  on  the  proprietj'^  of 
paying  the  annual  levy,  a  question  which  had  long  been  in  dispute  between  the 
Pharisees  and  Sadducees.  Jesus,  in  this  instance,  agreed  with  the  latter  in 
condemning  the  collection  as  an  injustice,  but  rather  than  offend  against  a  long- 
observed  custom  having  a  Mosaic  precedent,  He  told  Peter  to  go  to  the  sea  and 
cast  in  a  hook  and  to  open  the  mouth  of  the  first  fish  taketi,  in  which  he  would 
find  the  money  with  which  to  pay  the  tribute  of  both  Peter  and  Himself.  *'  That 
take,"  said  Jesus,  "  and  give  unto  them  for  Me  and  thee." 


FROM    MANGER    TO    THRONE.  351 

The  object  of  this  miracle  is  more  important  than  the  singularity  of  its 
performance,  in  which  many  profess  their  inabilitj-  to  perceive  any  special  reason 
or  lesson.  When  the  Lord  met  Peter  at  the  door  He  asked,  "Of  whom  do  the 
kings  of  the  earth  receive  custom  or  tribute?  of  their  own  children  or  of 
strangers?"  and  Peter  answered,  "  Of  strangers. "  "Then,"  said  Jesus,  "are 
the  children  free."  Jesus  took  this  means  of  impressing  Peter,  who  had  con- 
fessed Him  as  the  Son  of  God,  with  His  Divinity,  which  placed  Him  on  equality 
with  the  King  of  kings,  and  who  thus  being  the  true  Temple  was  exempt  from 
levies  for  its  maintenance.  And  He  implies  the  exemption  of  Peter  also,  and 
inferentially  of  all   His  disciples,  though   He  did   not   thus  reveal  Himself  to 

the  others. 

Ambitious  Disciples. 

This  favoritism,  which  Jesus  had  shown  to  three  of  His  apostles  on  several 
occasions,  and  again  exhibited  in  the  payment  of  the  tribute  money  for  Peter, 
caused  jealousies,  and  discussions,  and  perhaps  hard  feelings,  until  at  length  their 
disputes  prompted  some  of  the  disciples  to  ask,  after  much  persuasion  by  Jesus, 
who  saw  that  they  were  in  contention  among  themselves,  ' '  Who  is  the  greatest 
in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ? ' '  The  question  was  considered  such  a  grave  one, 
involving  as  it  did  the  conception  of  the  disciples  respecting  heaven,  in  opposition 
to  the  establishment  of  the  spiritual  kingdom  which  Jesus  had  several  times 
declared,  that  He  called  all  the  apostles  about  Him  and  answered  the  inquir}-  by 
imparting  instructions  as  to  what  constituted  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  who 
might  enter  therein.  "  If,"  said  He,  "  any  man  desire  to  be  first,  the  same  shall 
be  last  of  all,  and  servant  of  all."  The  disciples  evidently  had  in  mind  the 
setting  up  of  an  earthly  kingdom,  the  restoration  of  Judah,  and  a  refounding  of 
the  Jewish  government  upon  a  new  theocracy  of  which  Christ  was  to  be  the 
head.  Having  been  witnesses  of  His  omnipotent  power,  they  regarded  His 
declarations  as  containing  a  hidden  meaning  which  they  construed  as  implying 
the  early  establishment  of  His  kingdom  on  earth,  and  they  entertained  an 
ambition,  if  not  a  firm  belief,  that  they  would  be  appointed  to  high  offices  or  hold 
some  place  of  distinguished  preferment  in  the  new  government.  This  aspiration, 
as  well  as  false  conception,  was  now  destroyed  by  more  explicit  statements  and 
clearer  revelation  than  He  had  ever  made  before.  Jesus  called  a  little  child  and 
taking  it  up  in  His  loving  arms,  He  said  to  His  apostles,  "  Except  ye  be  converted 
[from  your  ambitions]  and  become  as  little  children,  ye  shall  not  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  Whosoever  shall  receive  one  of  such  children  in  My  name, 
receiveth  Me  :  and  whosoever  shall  receive  Me,  receiveth  not  Me,  but  Him  that 
sent  Me.  For  he  that  is  least  among  you  all,  the  same  shall  be  great."  As  Dr. 
Eddy  says,  our  Lord's  language  may  be  paraphrased  thus  ;  "  You  are  disputing 
among  yourselves  who  shall   be   greatest  in  My  kingdom,   when  it  is  doubtful 


352  FROM    MANGRR   TO  THRONE. 

whether  you  are  qualified  to  enter  it.  Behold  this  child,  so  obedient  to  My  call,, 
so  confiding,  so  unambitious,  so  loving  ;  this  is  a  model  disciple.  If  you  would 
be  great  in  My  kingdom,  renounce  first  all  your  pride  and  jealousy  and  lust  for 
pre-eminence,  and  become  as  this  little  child.  Whosoever  shall  humble  himself 
as  this  little  child,  the  same  is  greatest  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

The  lesson  thus  imparted  by  Jesus  made  such  an  impression  upon  the 
disciples  that  they  asked  other  questions,  in  a  spirit  of  desire  for  further  instruc- 
tions respecting  their  duties  and  faithful  performance  of  all  obligations,  and  the 
righteous  observance  of  such  requirements  as  would  qualify  them  for  admission 
into  the  spiritual  kingdom.  Jesus  gratified  their  longings  by  an  exposition  of  the 
doctrinal  basis  upon  which  His  church  was  to  be  founded,  on  the  evil  of  offenders 
against  justice  and  forbearance,  and  the  necessity  of  every  man  keeping  well  the 
faith  and  in  seeking  to  bring  others  into  conununion  with  God  and  fellowship- 
with  the  Son,  illustrating  His  lesson  of  compassion  and  forbearance  by  powerful 

allegory. 

Forgive  Four  Hundred  and  Ninety  Times. 

"Then  came  Peter  to  Him  and  said,  Lord,  how  oft  shall  my  brother  sin 
against  me,  and  I  forgive  him  ?  Till  seven  times  ? ' '  Yes,  answered  Jesus,  seven 
times,  and  seventy  times  seven  ;  indeed,  there  should  be  no  limit,  no  depth,  no- 
height,  no  boundary  to  forgiveness.  And  to  impress  more  firmly  upon  His- 
disciples  the  grace,  beauty  and  praiseworthiness  of  pardon,  and  the  deformity, 
vice  and  iniquity  of  pitiless  avengement  or  rigorous  exaction,  He  gave  them  a 
parable  of  an  unjust  creditor.  "Therefore  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven  likened  unto 
a  certain  king  which  would  take  an  account  of  his  servants."  The  king  (or  lord) 
had  many  debtors,  for  being  rich  he  was  a  large  lender  to  the  poorer  people  ;  but 
however  rich  a  man  may  be  he  must  look  after  his  loans,  his  mortgages,  his- 
accounts,  or  else  the  largest  fortune  will  soon  be  distributed  beyond  reclamation. 
So  there  are  days  for  paying  as  well  as  for  lending,  and  this  lord  now  sent  out 
notices  to  his  debtors  for  them  to  come  and  settle  their  indebtedness  to  him.  In 
the  olden  times  and  even  in  this  country  less  than  one  hundred  years  ago,  there- 
were  such  laws  in  force  as  enabled  creditors  to  oppress  their  debtors  to  the  limit 
of  human  endurance,  and  even  to  take  charge  of  and  mutilate  the  body  after . 
death.  At  the  demand  of  a  Shylock,  Antonio  might  be  thrust  into  jail,  or,  with 
his  wife  and  children,  be  sold  into  slavery  to  satisfy  the  debt.  And  it  was  so  iu' 
Palestine  in  the  time  of  Christ. 

And  the  lord,  having  sent  out  notices  to  those, who  owed  him  sums  of 
money,  and  found  that  one  of  his  chief  delinquents,  whose  indebtedness  was  ten 
thousand  talents,  had  allowed  the  obligation  to  remain  -unpaid  after  maturity, 
ordered  the  man  to  be  brought  before  him.  The  poor  fellow  no  doubt  presented 
a  pitiable  sight,  for  he  knew  how  harsh  and  merciles.sly  exacting  were  nearly  all 


FROM    MANGKR   TO   THRONE. 


353 


the  rich  men,  so  rigorous  in  their  dealings  that  the  lenders  were  called  lords,  and 
the  borrowers  were  known  as  servants.  And  trembling  from  head  to  foot  the 
delinquent  made  his  appearance.  "Why  have  you  not  paid  your  debt  to  me?" 
ano-rily  demands  the  lord.  "Because,"  answers  the  fear-stricken  defaulter,  "I 
have  no  money . ' ' 
"  Then  away  with 
him  to  prison,  and 
put  up  his  wife 
and  children  at 
auction,  and  let 
them  be  sold  for 
slaves  to  the  high- 
est bidder,  and 
bring  to  me  the 
price  of  their  bond- 
age." "Hold, 
hold  one  mo- 
ment," cries  the 
poor  unfortunate, 
falling  upon  his 
knees  before  the 
hard  lender, 
* '  spare  my  wife, 
the  loved  one  of 
my  bosom,  and 
my  dear  little 
children,  who 
are  guiltless  of 
wrong;  send 
them  not  into  ser- 
vitude for  my  im- 
providence ;  save 
them  from  the 
misery,  the  degra- 
dation and  the 
blight  that  slavery  would  impose 
I  will  pay  you  all," 

The  lord  could  not  withstand  this  plea  ;  that  voice  of  supplication  went  to 
his  heart  with  .such  force  that  it  opened  the  well  of  compassion,  and  so  deeply 
moved  was  he  by  the  wail  of  distress,  that  he  ordered  the  del)tor  to  be  released 
23 


THH    UNJUST    Ul!,llTOK. 

I  pray  you,  sir,  have  mercy  and  patience  and 


354  FROM    MANGER   TO  THRONE. 

and  even  discharged  him  from  further  liability.  This  was  an  act  of  mercy  which 
set  the  rich  lord  upon  a  pre-eminence  of  nobility  and  goodly  example,  and  is  an 
illustration  of  the  pardoning  grace  of  God,  who  freely  forgives  every  debtor  who 
comes  with  an  earnest  supplication  for  pardon  for  offences. 

But  how  did  the  forgiven  debtor  profit  by  the  mercy  that  had  been  shown 
him  ?  Immediately  after  receiving  a  discharge  at  the  hands  of  his  compassionate 
lord,  he  went  out  and  sought  for  a  man  who  owed  him  the  pittance  of  one 
hundred  pence.  Finding  the  small  borrower  over  the  way,  this  heartless  man, 
transformed  from  humble  debtor  to  enraged  creditor,  rushed  across  to  him,  took 
the  delinquent  by  the  throat,  and  demanded  that  the  debt  be  paid  at  once.  The 
surprised,  alarmed  and  trembling  servant  fell  at  the  feet  of  his  inexorable 
master  and  pleaded  with  him  for  mercy  and  a  little  patience,  promising  to  pay  the 
debt  if  but  a  short  time  was  allowed  him  in  which  to  raise  the  money.  But,  to 
his  shame,  with  an  exhibition  of  avarice  and  cruelty  that  was  disgraceful  to 
humanity,  the  creditor  ordered  the  unfortunate  man  cast  into  prison,  there  to 
remain  until  the  debt  was  discharged.  But  such  savage  rapacity  was  not  to  go 
unwhipped  of  justice.  The  lord  who  forgave  the  debtor,  learning  how  he  had 
abused  a  more  unfortunate  defaulter,  sent  for  him,  and  when  he  came  cowering 
and  abject,  like  a  base  ingrate  about  to  receive  his  well-merited  punishment,  the 
lord  said  to  him  :  "  O  thou  wicked  servant,  I  forgave  thee  all  that  debt  because 
thou  desiredst  me  :  shouldst  thou  not  also  have  had  compassion  on  thy  fellow 
servant,  even  as  I  had  pity  on  thee?  "  And  in  wrath  at  this  unrequitement  of 
the  mercy  that  had  been  shown  him,  the  generous  lord  handed  him  over  to  the 
officers  to  be  kept  in  prison,  or  set  at  labor  as  a  slave,  until  the  large  debt  of  ten 
thousand  talents  was  discharged.  The  application  of  the  parable  is  found  in  the 
words  with  which  Jesus  concluded  it :  "So  likewise  shall  My  Heavenly  Father 
do  also  unto  you  if  ye  from  your  hearts  forgive  not  every  one  his  brother's 
trespasses." 


\^ 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

JESUS   AT   THE    FEAST  OF  TABERNACLES. 

*^  OW   long  Jesus   remained   in    Capernaum,    on   His  visit   there   aftei 

E^^^^  returning  from  Caesarea  Philippi,  it  is  difficult  to  determine;  but 
1  r  circumstances  indicate  that  He  entered  the  place  only  a  short  while 
^^^  ^  before  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  which  was  held  at  Jerusalem  in  the 
latter  part  of  September  and  the  early  part  of  October.  He  had  now  remained 
away  from  Jerusalem  for  a  period  of  nearly  eighteen  months,  during  which  time 
He  had  been  persecuted  wherever  He  went  and  practically  outlawed  by  the 
bitterly  jealous  Pharisees.  He  had  been  hunted,  driven,  reviled,  and  threatened, 
until  His  life  was  menaced,  and  to  have  appeared  in  Jerusalem  at  any  time  during 
this  unhappy  period  would  be  to  invite  His  arrest  and  probable  execution. 
Nevertheless,  His  relatives  from  Nazareth,  and  His  friends  throughout  Galilee, 
urged  Him  to  attend  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  (or  of  harvest)  having  always  in 
mind  His  divine  power,  which  they  hoped  to  have  Him  exercise  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  His  rights  to  the  dignity  of  King  of  the  Jews.  The  old  traditions 
had  represented  that  the  new  king,  w^ho  was  to  bring  back  and  emphasize  the 
glory  of  Judah,  would  be  declared  at  Jerusalem,  and  regarding  Him  as  the  truly 
anointed  one  they  urged  Him  now  to  show  Himself  there  and  assume  the 
rulership  and  confound  His  enemies.  But  Jesus  answered  them  always  that  His 
time  had  not  yet  come,  that  His  was  a  mission  of  peace,  and  that  His  was  a 
spiritual  and  not  an  earthly  kingdom.  With  these  excuses  Jesus  remained  a 
while  at  Capernaum,  after  the  great  caravans  of  pilgrims  had  gone  by  toward 
the  Holy  City,  by  which  delay  He  avoided  a  commingling  with  crowds  on  the 
way  that  would  have  created  fresh  disputes  and  made  His  entrance  into  Jerusalem 
a  cause  for  public  demonstration  that  might  have  ended  abruptly  in  His  arrest. 
The  feast  continued  for  eight  days,  culminating  on  the  last  in  a  magnificence  of 
celebration  far  exceeding  that  of  the  preceding  days,  and  Jesus  therefore  deferred 
His  departure  from  Capernaum  for  two  or  three  days  after  the  great  body  of 
pilgrims  had  passed,  being  content  to  attend  only  the  latter  part  of  the  festival. 

On  the  Way  to  Jerusalem. 

Jesus  at  length  set  out  for  Jerusalem  attended  by  His  twelve  apostles  and 
several  disciples,  proceeding  southward  by  the  way  of  the  plains  of  Esdraelon  and 
then    into   Samaria,  probably  selecting   the   route  over  which   He  journeyed  to 

(355) 


35^  FROH  HANGER   TO   THRONE. 

Galilee  after  the  close  of  His  ministry  in  Judea.  While  on  the  way  He  sent  mes- 
sengers in  advance  to  secure  lodgings  for  the  night  for  His  large  party.  At  one 
place  application  for  entertainment  was  refused  by  Samaritans,  whose  ire  had  been 
aroused  upon  learning  that  Jesus,  whom  they  had  been  told  was  the  Messiah,  was 
going  to  Jerusalem  to  participate  in  the  feast  of  Ingathering,  and  was  therefore 
passing  by  Gerizim,  where  they  looked  for  the  Messiah  to  set  up  His  kingdom.. 
This  inhospitality  so  offended  John  and  James  that  they  asked  Jesus  if  they  might 
not  call  down  fire  from  heaven  to  consume  the  jealous  Samaritans,  as  Elijah  had 
destroyed  his  enemies,  but  Christ  rebuked  their  intemperate  and  fiery^  passion, 
saying,  ' '  Ye  know  not  what  manner  of  spirit  ye  are  of,  for  the  Son  of  Man  is  not 
come  to  destroy  men's  lives,  but  to  save  them.  And-  they  went  to  another  village. ' ' 
As  they  journeyed  forward  Jesus  instructed  His  disciples  again  in  their  duties- 
towards  all  men  and  the  necessity  of  that  faith  which  was  likened  to  child-like 
dependence  and  confidence  in  a  parent.  And  many  who  came  to  Him  asking 
admission  to  apostleship  He  dismissed  as  being  without  the  necessary  qualifications 
for  such  a  mission,  which  involved  a  renunciation  of  the  greater  comforts  and 
lustful  pleasures  of  this  life.  But  though  He  accepted  few  on  the  journey,  there 
was  so  large  a  following  of  worthy  disciples  that  He  ordained  seventy — corre- 
sponding to  the  Jewish  idea  of  the  number  of  nations  on  earth — to  go  forth  in  pairs 
and  preach  the  gospel,  laying  upon  them  the  same  injunctions  that  He  gave  ta 
the  apostles  when  sending  them  out  on  a  like  mission. 

Ten  Lepers  Drop  Their  Scales. 

While  still  on  the  way  through  Samaria,  but  perhaps  when  near  the  boundary 
of  Judea,  as  they  came  within  sight  of  a  village,  a  sad  spectacle  arrested  the  pro- 
gress of  Jesus,  and  called  forth  another  exhibition  of  His  divine  power  for  the 
relief  of  the  distressingly  afflicted.  Accustomed  to  human  suffering  as  He  was, 
Jesus  must  have  been  specially  moved  by  the  appearance  of  ten  lepers  whom  He 
saw  sitting  a  little  way  back  from  the  highway  that  led  into  the  village.  The 
Samaritans  suffered  no  lepers  to  enter  any  of  their  towns,  condemning  these  poor 
unfortunates  to  isolation,  and  thus  limiting  their  subsistence  to  what  charity 
offered,  or  what  friends  might  place  at  convenient  distance  for  lepers  to  receive 
only  after  the  donors  had  withdrawn,  near  approach  to  people  not  thus  afflicted 
being  prohibited. 

The  horrors  of  this  slow-consuming  and  most  repulsive  disease  were  such 
that  hope  of  cure  was  abandoned  and  the  sufferers,  having  no  privilege  to  associate- 
with  others,  naturally  sought  the  society  of  their  kind,  so  that  bitter  as  was  the 
hatreds  between  Jews  and  Samaritans,  all  enmity  was  dispelled  by  this  desperate 
peace-maker,  and  the  lepers  of  the  two  hostile  peoples  freely  mingled  with  one 
another. 


FROM  MANGER  TO  THRONE. 


357 


As  Jesus  plodded  along  the  highway,  followed  by  His  disciples,  the  ten  lepers 
descried  Him,  and  whether  by  intuition  or  report  which  had  reached  them  of  His 
early  coming  that  way,  they  raised  their  cracked  voices  with  cries  of  "  Unclean, 
unclean  !  Jesus,  Master,  have  mercy  on  us."  To  such  an  appeal  for  help,  coupled 
as  it  was  by  faith,  Jesus  never  turned  a  deaf  ear,  and  to  these  He  therefore  said, 
"  Go  shew  yourselves  unto  the  priests."  Off  they  started  at  once  in  the  happi- 
ness of  hopeful  assurance,  but  thej^  had  gone  but  a  few  steps  when  lo  !  crippled 
feet,  distorted  hands,  rheumy  eyes,  furred  tongue,  distracted  body,  and  all  the 
pathological  phases  of  the;  living  death  suddenly  became  changed,  until  the  living 
death  became  rejuvenated  life,  and  the  features  of  leprosy  assumed  the  appearance 
of  perfect  health,  and  every  organ  resumed  its  natural  function,  every  peccant 
humor  was  eliminated, 
every  sore  and  ulcer  and 
canker  not  only  healed, 
but  not  a  scar  left  to  re- 
mind them  that  they  had 
ever  been  victims  to  the 
most  dreadful  disease 
that  mortal  was  ever  af- 
flicted with. 

But  though  the  lepers 
felt  the  quickened  power 
of  their  limbs,  they  used 
them  to  continue  on 
speedily  to  receive  a 
cleansing  at  the  hands  of 
their  priests,  rather  than 
return  first  to  express 
their  gratitude  to  Jesus. 
Nine  of  them,  who  were  Jews,  ran  rapidly  to  the  village,  not  even  so  much  as 
casting  a  grateful  look,  nor  voicing, a  single  word  of  thanks.  They  perhaps  all 
started  off  together,  the  Jews  setting  out  for  Jerusalem  to  procure  a  certificate  of 
cleansing,  and  the  Samaritan  probably  starting  for  Gerizim,  or  to  the  nearest 
Samaritan  priest,  for  a  like  certificate  of  release  from  the  quarantine  under  which 
he  had  been  held  for  so  long  a  time.  But  the  latter  had  not  proceeded  far  when 
he  felt  the  thoroughness  of  his  cure  and,  placing  gratitude  before  religious  cere- 
monial, he  returned,  and  casting  himself  upon  his  face  before  Jesus  he  poured  out 
his  thanks  in  fullest  measure  and  raised  his  voice  in  glorification  of  God.  Jesus 
said  to  him,  in  appearance  of  surprise,  "  Why,  w^ere  there  not  ten  lepers?  Where 
are  the  other  nine?     Is  there  only  one  who  feels  any  gratitude  for  recovery?     Is 


UPPER  STORIES  AND  HOUSETOPS  OF  JERUSALEM,  OFTEN  USED 
AS  LODGING-PLACES  WHEN  THE  CITY  WAS  CROWDED  WITH 
STRANGERS. 


358  FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

there  no  Jew  among  the  number  who  has  any  sense  of  gratefulness  for  his  release 
from  the  greatest  of  afflictions  ?  Is  it  possible  that  only  one,  and  he  a  Samaritan, 
an  enemy  of  the  Jews,  whom  they  call  a  heathen,  comes  back  to  render  his 
acknowledgments?"  But  so  it  was,  and  Jesus  said  unto  him,  "Arise,  go  thy 
way  :  thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole." 

Jesus  Appears  on  the  Temple  Porch. 

On  the  first  day  of  the  feast  at  Jerusalem,  inquiries  about  Jesus  began  to  be 
made  and  so  increased  that  He  soon  became  the  subject  of  general  conversation 
among  the  attendants.  "  Has  Jesus  put  in  an  appearance  yet?  Is  He  coming? 
Surely  He  would  not  remain  away,  being  a  Jew,  ^nd  especially  claiming  to  be 
the  Messiah. ' '  ' '  What  do  you  think  of  Him  ?  "  "  Why, ' '  says  one,  ' '  evidently 
He  is  a  holy  man,  for  His  teachings  and  examples  are  all  praiseworthy. ' '  ' '  No, ' ' 
says  another,  ' '  He  is  a  blasphemer,  an  enemy  of  the  rabbis,  a  desecrator  of  the 
Sabbath  day.  Why,  did  He  not  heal  a  man  at  Bethesda's  pool  on  the  Sabbath, 
and  did  He  not  heal  a  blind  man  on  the  Sabbath,  and  did  He  not  pluck  ears  of 
corn,  or  suffer  his  disciples  to  do  so,  on  the  Sabbath?"  And  thus  the  disputes 
and  discussions  went  on  among  the  bazaars  and  temple  booths  for  three  days  or 
more,  when  to  the  astonishment  of  everybody  Jesus  suddenly,  without  any 
announcement  of  His  coming,  appeared  on  the  Temple  porch  in  the  place  reserved 
for  the  rabbis,  and  as  one  having  authority  to  preach  from  that  station.  He  began 
to  discourse  to  the  people  who  speedily  flocked  around  to  hear  Him.  Among  the 
audience  were  hundreds,  yes,  thousands,  of  His  old  enemies,  whom  the  rabbis 
led  in  hostility  and  who  had  plotted  secretly  to  compass  His  death.  They  were 
dumfounded  however  at  His  bold  denunciation  and  His  fearlessness,  which  seemed 
a  defiance  of  them  in  their  stronghold,  and  aroused  them  to  such  a  pitch  of  fury 
that  they  procured  an  order  for  His  arrest.  But  their  threats  in  no  wise  disturbed 
Him  ;  with  calmness  and  the  irresistible  power  of  His  illustrations,  reasoning 
and  captivating  eloquence.  He  gave  testimony  to  His  Messiahship,  though  with  a 
spirit  of  humility  that  offered  no  sign  of  self-aggrandizement,  and  at  the  same 
time  He  gave  a  severe  rebuke  to  the  hypocrisy  of  his  critics  who  were  such 
sophists,  and  withal  so  inconsistent,  that  they  command  circumcision  on  the  Sab- 
bath, while  violently  condemning  the  healing  of  the  sick  as  a  desecration  of  the 
day. 

To  these  declarations  the  Pharisees  and  rabbis  entered  vigorous  protests,  but 
their  anger  was  increased  to  the  greatest  intensit}^  by  the  announcement  which 
Christ  made,  not  only  reflecting  upon  their  sincerity,  but  boldly  charging  them 
with  a  false  conception  of  God,  whom  indeed  they  did  not  know.  Said  He, 
**  Ye  know  Me,  and  ye  know  whence  I  am  ;  and  I  am  not  come  of  Myself,  but  He 
that  sent  Me  is  true,  whom  ye  know  not.    But  I  know  Him,  for  I  am  from  Him." 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE.  359 

Here  was  a  direct  declaration  that  Christ  was  an  emissary  from  God,  and 
that  the  religious  teachers  of  the  Jews  were  not  only  unfitted  for  the  profession 
of  spiritual  instructors,  by  reason  of  their  attachment  to  tradition  and  to  binding 
ceremonials,  and  the  unmerciful  quality  of  their  beliefs,  but  that  they  did  not 
even  know  God.  But  to  this  charge  He  added  that  of  capriciousness,  for,  while 
upholding  the  Mosaic  laws  with  an  affectation  of  great  consistency  and  sincerity, 
Jesus  told  them  that  they  only  sustained  the  law  when  it  served  their  purpose, 
and  violated  it  when  their  interest  seemed  to  advise.  Said  He  in  effect :  ' '  You 
say  I  am  ignorant  of  the  law  ;  but  it  were  better  to  be  ignorant  of  the  law  and 
not  disobey  it,  than  knowing  what  it  enjoins  and  deliberately  violate  it.  The  law 
requires  you  to  love  your  neighbor,  but  you  set  the  Sabbath  above  any  who  need 
assistance  ;  the  law  says  '  Thou  shalt  not  kill,'  and  yet  you  have  in  your  hearts  a 
murderous  feeling  against  Me,  though  I  have  not  offended  against  the  law,  for 
good  works  only  have  I  done. ' ' 

His  bold  utterances  struck  home,  and  while  it  increased  the  anger  of  the 
rabbis,  many  who  heard  His  words  believed  on  Him  and  said,  "When  Christ 
Cometh,  will  He  do  more  miracles  than  these  which  this  man  hath  done?  "  But 
the  Pharisees  were  furious,  and  the  chief  priests  sent  officers  to  arrest  Him,  but 
Jesus  knowing  their  plot  against  His  life  said,  "Yet  a  little  while  am  I  with  you, 
and  then  I  go  unto  Him  that  sent  Me.  Ye  shall  seek  Me  and  shall  not  find  Me, 
and  where  I  am  thither  ye  cannot  come.  My  time  is  almost  come  when  I  shall 
be  offered  as  a  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  the  world.  After  the  death  which  you  can 
inflict  I  shall  ascend  again  to  My  Father.  Some  day  you  will  discover  the  iniquity 
of  your  acts  ;  some  day  you  will  come  to  bathe  the  feet  of  My  cross  with  tears  of 
regret  ;  some  day  you  will  look  aloft  and  cry,  '  Lord,  Lord  ; '  but  I  shall  not 
recognize  you  ;  and  where  I  sit,  in  the  Kingdom  eternal,  beside  the  Father  who 
was  from  the  beginning,  there  ye  cannot  come. ' '  But  the  Pharisees  could  not 
understand  Him,  nor  did  their  conception  ever  arise  above  low  material  conditions 
that  fitted  their  earthly  ambitions  and  temporal  conveniences. 

"Many  of  the  people,  therefore,  when  they  heard  this  saying,  said,  'Of  a 
truth  this  is  the  prophet.'  Others  said,  'This  is  the  Christ.'  But  some  said, 
'  Shall  Christ  come  out  of  Galilee  ?  Hath  not  the  Scripture  said  that  Christ 
Cometh  of  the  seed  of  David,  and  out  of  the  town  of  Bethlehem,  where  David 
was?  '  So  there  was  a  division  among  the  people  because  of  Him,  and  some  of 
them  would  have  taken  Him  ;  but  no  man  laid  hands  on  Him." 

When  the  Pharisees  and  chief  priests  found  that  Jesus  had  not  been  arrested, 
in  pursuance  of  their  orders,  they  sent  for  the  officers  and  asked  them  why  they 
had  not  performed  their  duty.  But  the  officers  only  answered,  "  Never  man  spake 
like  this  Man."  This  was  a  short  reply  for  subordinates  to  make  to  their  supe- 
riors, but  it  was  pregnant  with   great  meaning.     It  might  be  interpreted,  "We 


36o  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

acknowledge  you  as  our  rulers,  we  confess  our  duties,  we  try  to  serve  you  and 
obey  the  law.  If  you  tell  us  to  arrest  a  criminal  we  will  take  him  at  the  risk  of 
our  lives,  for  we  regard  no  danger  when  in  the  execution  of  your  orders.  But, 
with  all  deference  to  your  position,  we  crave  your  pardon  for  acknowledging  a 
power  that  is  far  above  you.  We  believe  that  Jesus,  while  having  committed  no 
ofifence,  is  that  power  to  which  all  the  world  owes  acknowledgment  as  the  Christ  ; 
to  arrest  Him  would  therefore  be  to  insult  God,  to  arraign  earth  against  heaven, 
and  our  consciences  cannot  approve  such  an  attempt. ' ' 

Jesus  had  so  aroused  the  feelings  of  the  people  that  whereas  He  was  spoken 
of  in  kindly  terms  only  in  secret  during  the  first  days  of  the  festival,  He  was 
now  championed  by  such  a  large  number  that  the  chief  priests  would  not  hazard 
the  forcing  of  His  arrest.  The  members  of  the  Sanhedrim,  however,  exerted  all 
their  influence  against  Him,  except  Nicodemus,  who,  finding  himself  alone  in  a 
belief  of  Christ's  divinity,  if  indeed  he  entertained  so  high  an  opinion,  was  barely 
bold  enough  to  rise  before  that  body  and  ask,  "Doth  our  law  judge  any  man 
before  it  hear  him,  and  know  what  he  doeth  ?  " 

But  they  cried  him  down  by  a  fierce  and  captious  question,  asking  in  deri- 
sion, "  Art  thou  also  of  Galilee?     Search  and  look  ;  for  out  of  Galilee  ariseth  no 

prophet." 

The  Woman  Taken  in  Crime. 

Although  every  Jew  attending  the  great  festival  was  expected  to  find  lodg- 
ment in  some  booth,  or  inn,  or  hospitable  residence,  Jesus  was  so  beset  by  enemies 
that  when  night  came  He  retired  to  the  Mount  of  Olives.  Whether  He  found 
entertainment  there  in  the  house  of  some  friend,  or  sought  the  seclusion  of  cave  or 
orchard,  or  the  camp  of  His  followers,  we  are  not  told  ;  but  in  the  early  morning, 
John  says.  He  returned  to  the  Temple  and  resumed  His  discourse  to  the  people. 
While  He  was  thus  teaching,  the  audience  was  disturbed  by  an  incident  which 
has  ever  since  served  to  afford  the  strongest  possible  evidence  of  God's  immeasur- 
able mercy  and  the  illimitable  extent  of  His  forgiveness. 

A  group  of  men  are  pulling  and  pushing  along  a  woman  who  had  committed 
the  worst  crime  against  society.  When  they  have  brought  her  in  front  of  Christ, 
they  ask  that  He  sentence  her  to  death  by  stoning.  They  are  a  critical,  merci- 
less, disingenuous  crowd.  They  want  to  get  Christ  into  controversy  and  public 
reprehension.  If  He  say  "  Let  her  die,"  they  will  charge  Him  with  cruelty.  If 
He  let  her  go,  they  will  charge  Him  with  being  in  complicity  with  wickedness. 
Whichever  way  He  does  they  would  howl  at  Him. 

Rebuked  in  Fitting  Words. 

Then  occurs  a  scene  which  has  not  been  sufficiently  regarded.  He  leaves  the 
lounge  or  bench  on  which  He  was  sitting  and  goes  down  on  one  knee,  or  both 


L. 


li-;t  him  who  is  without  six  cast  thi-;  vikst  stcin; 


(.^6i) 


362  FROM    MANGKR   TO   THRONE. 

knees,  and  with  the  forefinger  of  His  right  hand  He  begins  to  write  in  the  dust 
of  the  floor,  word  after  word.  But  they  were  not  to  be  diverted  or  hindered. 
They  kept  on  demanding  that  He  settle  this  case  of  transgression,  until  He  looked 
up  and  told  them  that  they  might  themselves  begin  the  woman's  assassination,  if 
the  complainant  who  had  never  done  anything  wrong  himself  would  open  the 
fire.  "  Go  ahead,  but  be  sure  the  man  who  flings  the  first  missile  is  immaculate." 
Then  He  resumed  writing  with  His  finger  in  the  dust  of  the  floor,  word  after 
word.  Instead  of  looking  over  His  shoulder  to  see  what  He  had  written,  the 
scoundrels  skulked  away.  Finall}^  the  whole  place  is  clear  of  pursuers,  antago- 
nists and  plaintiffs,  and  when  Christ  had  finished  this  strange  chirography  in  the 
dust.  He  looks  up  and  finds  the  woman  all  alone.  The  prisoner  is  the  only  one  of 
the  court  room  left,  the  judges,  the  police,  the  prosecuting  attorneys  having  cleared 
out.  Christ  is  victor,  and  He  says  to  the  woman  :  "  Where  are  the  prosecutors  in 
this  case  ?     Are  they  all  gone  ?     Then  I  discharge  you  ;  go  and  sin  no  more. ' ' 

But  what  did  Christ  write  on  the  ground  ?  The  Bible  does  not  state.  Yet, 
as  Christ  never  wrote  anything  except  that  once,  you  cannot  blame  us  for  wanting 
to  know  what  He  really  did  write.  But  I  am  certain  He  wrote  nothing  trivial  or 
nothing  unimportant.  And  will  j^ou  allow  me  to  say  that  I  think  I  know  what 
He  wrote  on  the  ground  ?  I  judge  from  the  circumstances.  He  might  have 
written  other  things,  but  kneeling  there  in  the  Temple,  surrounded  by  a  pack  of 
hypocrites,  who  were  a  self-appointed  constabulary^  and  having  in  his  presence  a 
persecuted  woman  who  evidently  was  very  penitent  for  her  sins,  I  am  sure  He 
wrote  two  words,  both  of  them  graphic  and  tremendous  and  reverberating.  And 
one  word  was  "  Hypocrisy,"  and  the  other  word  was  "  Forgiveness."  From  the 
way  these  Pharisees  and  scribes  vacated  the  premises  and  got  out  into  fresh  air, 
as  Christ,  with  just  one  ironical  sentence,  unmasked  them,  I  know  they  were 
first-class  hypocrites.  It  was  then  as  it  is  now.  The  more  faults  and  inconsis- 
tencies people  have  of  their  own,  the  more  severe  and  censorious  are  they  about 
the  faults  of  others.  Here  they  are  :  twenty  stout  men  arresting  and  arraigning 
one  weak  woman.  Magnificent  business  to  be  engaged  in.  They  wanted  the  fun 
of  seeing  her  faint  away  under  a  heavy  judicial  sentence  from  Christ,  and  then 
after  she  had  been  taken  outside  the  -city  and  fastened  at  the  foot  of  a  precipice, 
the  scribes  and  Pharisees  wanted  the  satisfaction  of  each  coming  forth  and  dropping 
a  big  stone  on  her  head,  for  that  was  the  style  of  capital  punishment  that  they 
asked  for.  All  of  those  libertines,  dramatizing  indignation  against  impurity. 
Blind  bats  lecturing  on  optics.     A  flock  of  crows  on  their  way  up -from  a  carcass, 

denouncing  carrion. 

A  Clean  Sweep  of  Pardon. 

Yes,  I  think  that  one  word  written  on  the  ground  that  day  by  the  finger  of 
Christ  was  the  awful  word  "  Hypocrisy."     But  I  am  sure  there  was  another  word 


JHSI'S  I'KDTiccTS  THH  ICKKING  WOMAN. — Drawu  by  Dor^. 


(363) 


364  FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONE. 

in  that  dust.  From  her  entire  manner  I  am  sure  that  arraigned  woman  was 
repentant.  She  made  no  apology,  and  Christ  in  no  wise  belittled  her  sin.  But 
her  supplicatory  behavior  and  her  tears  moved  Him,  and  when  He  stooped  down 
to  write  on  the  ground.  He  wrote  that  mighty,  that  imperial  word,  "Forgive- 
ness." When  on  Sinai  God  wrote  the  law.  He  wrote  it  with  finger  of  lightning 
on  tables  of  stone,  each  word  cut  as  by  a  chisel  into,  the  hard  granitic  surface. 
But  when  He  writes  the  offence  of  this  woman  He  writes  it  in  dust,  so  that  it  cao 
be  easily  rubbed  out  when  she  repents  of  it.  Oh,  He  was  a  merciful  Christ !  1 
was  reading  of  a  legend  that  is  told  in  the  far  East  about  Him.  He  was  walking 
through  the  streets  of  a  city  and  He  saw  a  crowd  around  a  dead  dog.  And  one 
man  said  :  "  What  a  loathsome  object  is  that  dog  !•"  "  Yes,"  said  another,  "  his 
ears  are  mauled  and  bleeding."  "Yes,"  said  another,  "even  his  hide  would 
not  be  of  any  use  to  the  tanner."  "  Yes,"  said  another,  "  the  odor  of  his  carcass 
is  dreadful."  Then  Christ,  standing  there,  said  :  "  But  pearls  cannot  equal  the 
whiteness  of  his  teeth."  Then  the  people,  moved  by  the  idea  that  any  one  could 
find  anything  pleasant  concerning  a  dead  dog,  said  :  "Why,  this  must  be  Jesus 
of  Nazareth."  Reproved  and  convicted  they  went  away.  Surely  this  legend  of 
Christ  is  good  enough  to  be  true.  Kindness  in  all  His  words  and  ways  and  habits, 
"  Forgiveness."  Word  of  ele^^en  letters,  and  some  of  them  thrones,  and  some  of 
them  palm  branches.  Better  have  Christ  write  close  to  our  names  that  one  word,, 
though  He  write  it  in  dust,  than  to  have  our  name  cut  into  monumental  granite 
with  the  letters  that  the  storms  of  a  thousand  years  cannot  obliterate.  Bishop 
Babington  had  a  book  of  only  three  leaves.  The  first  leaf  was  black,  the  second 
leaf  red,  the  third  leaf  white.  The  black  leaf  suggested  sin  ;  the  red  leaf  atone- 
ment ;  the  white  leaf  purification.     That  is  the  whole  story.     God  will  abundantly 

pardon. 

Give  Woman  a  Chance. 

I  must  not  forget  to  say  that  as  Christ,  stooping  down,  with  His  finger  wrote 
on  the  ground,  it  is  evident  that  His  S3^mpathies  are  with  this  penitent  woman, 
that  He  has  no  sympathy  with  her  hypocritical  pursuers.  Just  opposite  to  that  is 
the  world's  habit.  Why  did  not  these  unclean  Pharisees  bring  one  of  their  own 
number  to  Christ  for  excoriation  and  capital  punishment  ?  No,  no  ;  they  overlook 
that  in  a  man  which  they  damnate  in  a  woman.  And  so  the  world  has  had  foi 
offending  women  scourges  and  abjurgation,  and  for  just  one  offence  she  becomes 
an  outcast,  while  for  men  whose  lives  have  been  sodomic  for  twenty  years  the 
world  swings  open  its  doors  of  brilliant  welcome,  and  they  may  sit  in  lyCgislatures 
and  Senates  and  Parliaments  or  on  thrones.  Unlike  the  blessed  Christ  the  world 
writes  a  man's  misdemeanor  in  dust,  but  chisels  a  woman's  offence  with  great 
capitals  upon  ineffaceable  marble.  For  foreign  lords  and  princes,  whose  names 
cannot  even  be  mentioned  in  respectable  circles  abroad  because  they  are  walking 


FROM   MANGER    TO   THRONE.  365 

lazarettos  of  abomination,  our  American  princesses  of  fortune  wait,  and  at  the  first 
beck  sail  out  with  them  into  the  blackness  of  darkness  forever.  And  in  what  are 
called  higher  circles  of  society  there  is  now  not  only  the  imitation  of  foreign  man- 
ners, but  in  imitation  of  foreign  dissoluteness.  I  like  an  Englishman  and  I  like 
an  America::,  but  the  sickest  creature  on  earth  is  an  American  playing  the  English-, 
man.  Society  needs  to  be  reconstructed  on  this  subject.  Treat  them  alike, 
masculine  crime  and  feminine  crime.  If  you  cut  the  one  in  granite,  cut  them  both 
in  granite.  If  you  write  the  one  in  dust,  write  the  other  in  dust.  No,  no,  says 
the  world  ;  let  woman  go  down  and  let  man  go  up.  What  is  that  I  hear  splash- 
ing into  the  East  river  at  midnight,  and  then  there  is  a  gurgle  as  of  strangulation 
and  all  is  still  ?  Never  mind,  it  is  only  a  woman  too  discouraged  to  live.  Let 
the  mills  of  the  cruel  world  grind  right  on. 

And  now  I  can  believe  that  which  I  read,  how  that  a  mother  kept  burning  a 
candle  in  the  window  every  night  for  ten  years,  and  one  night  very  late  a  poor 
waif  of  the  street  entered.  The  aged  woman  said  to  her,  "  Sit  down  by  the  fire," 
and  the  stranger  said,  "  Why  do  you  keep  that  light  in  the  window  ?  "  The  aged 
woman  said  :  ' '  That  is  to  light  my  wayward  daughter  when  she  returns.  Since 
she  went  away  ten  years  ago  my  hair  has  turned  white.  Folks  blame  me  for 
worrj'ing  about  her,  but  you  see  I  am  her  mother,  and  sometimes,  half  a  dozen 
times  a  night,  I  open  the  door  and  look  out  into  the  darkness  and  cr>'  :  '  Lizzie  ! 
Lizzie  ! '  But  I  must  not  tell  you  any  more  about  my  trouble,  for  I  guess,  from 
the  way  you  cry,  you  have  trouble  enough  of  j-our  own.  Why,  how  cold  and 
sick  you  seem  !  Oh,  my  !  can  it  be?  Yes,  you  are  Lizzie,  my  own  lost  child. 
Thank  God  that  you  are  home  again  !  "  And  what  a  time  of  rejoicing  there  was 
in  that  house  that  night  !  And  Christ  stooped  down  and  in  the  ashes  of  that 
hearth,  now  lighted  up  not  more  by  the  great  blazing  logs  than  by  the  joy  of  a 
re-united  household,  wrote  the  same  liberating  words  that  he  had  written  more 
than  eighteen  hundred  years  ago  in  the  dust  of  the  Jerusalem  temple — "  Forgive- 
ness !  " — a  word  broad  enough  and  high  enough  to  let  pass  through  it  all  the 
armies  of  heaven,  a  million  abreast,  on  white  horses,  nostril  to  nostril,  flank  to. 
flank. 


(9  &m\<9 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

A   DISPUTE   OVER   PRE-NATAL  SINS. 

CONTROVERSY  with  the  Jews  and  with  the  Sanhedrim  continued  as 
long  as  Jesus  remained  in  Jerusalem,  and  would  have  resulted  in  His 
imprisonment  if  the  orders  issued  by  chief  officers  had  been  obeyed. 
But  there  was  a  division  of  sentiment  among  the  people,  many  influ- 
ential persons  even  believing  that  Jesus  was  a  prophet,  while  yet  others  were  more 
radical  and  made  public  confession  of  their  belief  in  Him  as  the  Messiah.  Nev- 
ertheless, the  rabble  were  incited  against  Him  by  the  priesthood,  and  an  effort  was 
made  to  stone  Him,  but  His  time  was  not  yet  come,  and  at  an  extreme  moment 
of  peril  He  disappeared  from  among  them.  Whether  this  disappearance  was 
by  withdrawal  suddenly  and  commingling  with  the  crowd,  or  by  rendering 
Himself  invisible,  we  are  not  told,  but  whatever  may  have  been  the  means 
which  He  employed.  His  escape  from  the  mad  ravenings  and  threatenings  of  His 
enemies  was  effected  without  inviting  pursuit. 

"  Then  took  they  up  stones  to  cast  at  Him  ;  but  Jesus  hid  Himself,  and  went 
out  of  the  Temple,  going  through  the  midst  of  them,  and  so  passed  by." 

From  the  reading  of  John,  it  appears  that  Jesus  and  His  disciples  passed 
ovit  of  the  gates  of  Jerusalem  together,  for  it  is  related  that  ' '  as  Jesus  passed 
by,  He  saw  a  man  who  was  blind  from  his  birth.  And  His  disciples  asked 
Him,  saying,  Master,  who  did  sin,  this  man  or  his  parents,  that  he  was  born 
blind  ? ' ' 

By  the  gates  of  the  cities  of  Palestine  beggars  were  accustomed  to  sit  and 
solicit  alms  from  those  who  went  out  and  in,  and  even  to  this  day  the  custom  con- 
tinues, though  not  as  general  as  it  was  in  the  time  of  Christ,  for  lepers  are  not 
nearly  so  numerous  now  as  they  were  then.  Yet  in  nearly  every  city  I  entered 
while  traveling  through  the  Holy  Land,  I  was  met  at  the'  entrances,  whether  at 
the  gates  of  walled  cities  or  the  entering  roadways,  by  the  beseechments  of  many 
beggars  suifering  from  every  manner  of  affliction.  This  blind  man  whom  Jesus 
thus  met,  while  a  beggar,  was  probably  a  person  of  distinguished  characteristics, 
for  the  manner  in  which  John  represents  him  when  brought  before  the  Sanhedrim 
leads  to  the  belief  that  he  was  a  man  of  acute  perception  and  of  many  natural 
parts  which  lifted  him  far  above  the  masses  in  intellectual  attainments. 

The  old  Mosaic  law  recognized  the  transmission  of  disease,  which  was 
regarded  as  the  product  of  sin,  through  three  and  four  generations,  and  certain 

(366) 


FROM    MANGER   TO  THRONE. 


367 


diseases  were  considered  as  types  of  particular  sins.  Whence  came  this  belief? 
It  was  not  an  institution  of  hierarchal  assumption  to  inspire  fear  or  to  increase 
the  power  of  priestcraft,  for  the  belief  was  older  than  Moses.  In  Persia  there  was 
a  faith  implanted  by  Pythagoras,  who  borrowed  it  from  the  yet  more  ancient  East, 
which  recognized  the  indestructibility  of  the  soul,  or  the  undying  spirit  of  all 
living  things,  and  which  they  believed  transmigrated  into  another  body  when 
their  former  tenancy  was  ended  by  death.  Upon  this  belief  there  were  grafted 
others,  one  of  which  was  that  souls  had  not  only  an  eternal  existence  and  their 
birth  was  coincident  with  that  of  the  body,  but  that  in  their  ante-natal  condition 
they  had  a  personality  which  made  them  amenable  to  laws,  the  violations  of  which 
were  sins,  and  from  which  there  was  no  absolvement.  Therefore,  when  a  soul 
entered  a  body  it  retained  all  its  deformities,  moral  or  intellectual,  and  these  were 
manifest  in  afflictions  of  the  flesh.  For  this  reason  it  was  said  of  the  blind  man, 
as  of  any  one  born  with  any  deformity  :  "Thou  wast  altogether  born  in  sins." 
The  Pharisees  were  undoubtedly  subjects  of  this  singular  belief,  as  is  proved  by 
the  dispute  growing  out  of  the  creation  of  vision  in  the  sightless  man. 

The  Windows  of  Sight  Opened. 

It  was  this  belief  in  congenital  sin  among  the  Pharisees  that  prompted  the 
disciples  to  ask  of  Jesus  so  singular  a  question,  doubtless  with  the  hope  that  He 
would  reveal  to  them  the  measures  of  its  correctness.  Without  wholly  disap- 
pointing them,  Jesus  chose  to  briefly  reply,  "  Neither  hath  this  man  sinned,  nor 
his  parents  ;  but  that  the  works  of  God  should  be  manifest  in  him."  This  was 
an  explicit  denial  ot  the  old  beliefs,  if  the  blind  man  be  regarded  as  an  ordinary 
example,  but  the  implication  seems  to  be  that  God  had  fore-ordained  him  to  be  a 
subject  for  the  operation  of  the  divine  power  in  its  manifestation  before  the 
people.  Apparently  to  prevent  their  further  questioning  concerning  a  belief 
which  the  disciples  were  hardly  prepared  to  receive  an  explanation  or  interpre- 
tation of,  Jesus  taught  them  the  importance  of  merciful  acts  without  hesitating  to 
first  inquire  as  to  the  worthiness  of  any  one  to  receive  mercy.  This  He  did  by 
reminding  them  that  His  mission  on  earth  was  a  short  one,  which  was  devoted  to 
works  rather  than  to  discussions,  or  even  revelations,  respecting  beliefs  in  which 
salvation  had  no  proper  place.  Therefore,  said  He,  "  I  nuist  work  the  works  of 
Him  who  sent  Me  while  it  is  day  ;  the  night  cometh  when  no  man  can  work. 
As  long  as  I  am  in  the  world  I  am  the  light  of  the  world."  Or  in  other  words  : 
"  I  cannot  waste  my  time  in  combating  such  transmitted  beliefs,  nor  nuist  you 
seek  to  explore  such  idle  questions  at  the  expense  of  your  merciful  duties.  It  is 
sufficient  to  know  that  where  affliction  exists,  your  duty  is  to  relieve  it  ;  that 
where  sin  abounds,  strive  to  save  the  sinners  ;  that  where  the  sorrowful  are  found, 
use  your  gifts  to  console  them." 


368  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

When  Jesus  had  thus  quietly  rebuked  His  disciples,  He  spat  upon  ths»- 
ground  and  made  a  poultice  of  the  moistened  clay,  which  He  applied  to  the  eyes 
of  the  blind  man  and  then  told  him  to  bathe  in  the  pool  of  Siloam.  And  the 
hopeful  man  ran  gleefully  away,  perhaps  led  by  some  friend,  until  he  came  to  the 
pool  and  there,  following  the  directions  given  him,  he  bathed  his  sightless  eyes, 
when  lo,  the  lids  opened,  and  the  world  of  darkness  moved  away  like  a  cloud 
floating  from  the  face  of  a  long-obscured  sun,  and  light  gathered  in  the  cornea 
and  struck  through  the  pupil  and  set  the  iris  revolving  in  an  envelope  of  aqueous 
humor,  and  luminous  rays  poured  in  upon  the  lens  and  were  reflected  again  in 
glorious  vision.  It  was  a  plunge  out  of  the  world  of  Cimmerian  obscuration 
into  a  land  of  resplendent  illumination  ;  a  birth  -of  sight,  a  creation  of  vision,  a 
revealment  of  image.      "And  he  went  his  way  and  washed,  and  came  seeing." 

The  Sanhedrim  in  Disputation  with  the  Beggar. 

Jesus  might  have  created  sight  in  the  blind  eyes  of  the  subject  of  His  divine 
power  by  speaking  a  single  word,  but  He  had  an  object  in  employing  means  cal- 
culated to  first  excite  belief  in  the  unfortunate.  Clay  was  supposed  to  possess 
curative  prGperti££)  as  is  still  believed  by  many,  while  the  waters  of  Siloam  were 
noted  for  their  healing  virtues.  Thus,  while  neither  clay  nor  water  were  really 
agencies  in  the  creation  of  sight,  yet  the  employment  of  these  means  served  to 
excite  the  blind  man's  faith  in  Jesus  as  a  true  physician,  and  so  the  way  was 
opened  for  belief. 

The  appearance  of  one  born  in  blindness  and  grown  to  manhood  in  this 
affliction,  and  who  suddenly  received  sight,  nnist  have  been  remarkable  to  those 
who  had  known  him  from  his  youth.  No  wonder  that  his  friends  hardly  recog- 
nized him  ;  no  wonder  that  his  changed  expression  and  the  miraculous  gift  that 
had  been  bestowed  so  confused  them  that  they  asked  one  another  :  "Is  not  this 
he  that  sat  and  begged?"  Some  there  were,  who  knew  him  best,  that  declared 
positively  he  was  the  man  born  blind  ;  others,  doubting  the  possibility  of  such  a 
miracle,  could  not  bring  themselves  to  an  implicit  belief,  though  they  frankly 
admitted  he  was  like  the  man  ;  but  their  doubts  were  relieved  by  a  joyous  admis- 
sion from  the  subject.  Discussion  thus  ended  among  the  man's  acquaintances, 
but  when  he  told  them  how  one  named  Jesus  had  given  him  sight,  the  people 
were  so  astounded  that  they  insisted  on  bringing  him  before  the  Pharisees,  who 
might  perchance  give  some  explanation  of  the  miracle.  There  was  great  excite- 
ment we  must  believe,  and  as  the  wisest  men  were  looked  to  for  an  interpretation 
of  all  singular  events,  the  Sanhedrim,  whose  members  were  Pharisees,  had  the 
man  brought  before  them  and  by  these  pundits  he  was  critically  questioned.  And 
they  asked  who  is  this  person  that  gave  you  sight,  and  where  may  He  be  found  ? 
But    the  fortunate  one  could  not  answer  them,  for  he  did    not  himself    know. 


WHKREAS    1    WAS    Hl.lM',    NOW    I    SKK. " 


24 


(369) 


370  FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

Pursuing  their  inquiries,  however,  the  Sanhedrim  soon  learned  that  the  gift  of  sight 
had  been  bestowed  on  the  Sabbath  day,  and  this  fact  gave  them  the  opportunity- 
sought  to  veil  their  ignorance  behind  a  pompous  show  of  learning  and  a  bom- 
bastic exhibition  of  their  regard  for  the  Sabbatic  laws.  "Why,"  said  sonie  of 
them,  "  this  Man  is  not  righteous,  because  He  does  not  keep  the  Sabbath."  But 
there  were  a  few  among  the  seventy  who  composed  that  body  honest  enough  to 
ask  their  colleagues,  "  How  can  a  man  who  is  a  sinner  do  such  things?  "  Thus 
even  their  pompousness  did  not  quite  stifle  inquiry  ;  for  the  honest  members  con- 
founded the  majority  ;  so  they  began  again  to  question  the  man,  who  had  for  a 
while  stood  mute  before  them,  listening  to  their  wise  saws  and  instances.  There- 
fore they  asked  him  :  "What  sayest  thou  of  Him,  that  He  hath  opened  thine 
eyes?  "  The  question  was  a  direct  one,  and  the  captious  members  of  the  ecclesi- 
astical body  were  startled  by  the  no  less  direct  reply  :      "  He  is  a  prophet." 

Not  satisfied  with  their  examination  of  the  subject  of  the  Lord's  power  and 
mercy,  the  Pharisees  sent  for  the  man's  parents,  and  these  being  brought  before 
the  court  of  inquiry  they  were  questioned  in  many  things  appertaining  to  their 
son.  Their  answers  were  made  with  caution,  because  they  knew  the  bigotry  of 
the  Jews  and  had  probably  heard  of  their  bitter  rancor  against  Jesus.  They 
accordingly  only  acknowledged  that  he  was  born  blind  and  that  he  had  suddenly 
received  sight,  but  by  what  means  they  knew  not ;  said  they,  ' '  He  is  of  age,  ask 
him."  Nothing  satisfactory  to  the  Sanhedrim  could  be  gained  from  the  parents, 
so  the  son  was  again  called  in,  and  to  him  they  fawningly  and  seductively  spoke : 
"Give  God  the  praise  ;  we  know  that  this  man  is  a  sinner."  Or,  to  paraphrase  : 
'*  You  have  suddenly  received  your  sight,  it  is  true,  but  was  it  through  the  power 
of  Beelzebub  or  of  God  ?  Give  God  the  praise  for  so  great  and  miraculous  a 
gift ;  do  not  impute  power  like  this  to  a  man,  and  least  of  all  to  a  man  who  vio- 
lates the  Sabbath.  Come  now,  lift  up  your  praises  to  God  alone."  But  the  man 
was  no  less  grateful  to  his  benefactor  than  he  was  logical  in  his  reasoning,  there- 
fore he  answered  them  ;  "Whether  He  be  a  sinner  or  no,  I  know  not;  one 
thing  I  know,  that  whereas  I  was  blind,  now  I  see."  Still  the  court  did  not  give 
over  their  efforts  to  influence  the  man  to  acknowledge  his  benefactor  as  a  sinner 
and  to  have  him  make  a  confession  which  they  might  use  against  Jesus.  Thus 
they  facetiously  asked,  ' '  What  did  He  to  thee  ;  how  opened  He  thine  eyes  ? ' ' 
With  evidence  of  impatience  at  the  persistency  of  their  questionings,  each  one  of 
which  showed  animus  and  insincerity,  the  man  responded  :  "I  have  told  you 
already,  -and  ye  did  not  hear  ;  wherefore  would  ye  hear  it  again  ?  will  ye  also  be 
His  disciples?"  He  was  justified  in  meeting  their  captious  and  impertinent 
inquest  with  ironical  rejoinder,  and  being  put  to  confusion  by  his  answers  these 
grave  theologians  showed  great  vexation,  and  the  spokesman  of  the  ecclesiastical 
tribunal,  perhaps  the  high. priest  himself,  with  a  manifestation  of  self-sufl5ciency 


FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


37* 


and  superiority  said  ij  the  man,  "  Thou  art  His  disciple  ;  but  we  are  Moses'  dis- 
ciples ;  we  know  that  God  spake  unto  Moses  ;  but  as  for  this  fellow,  we  know 
not  from  whence  He  is."  True  enough,  they  did  not  know  Jesus,  the  Christ, 
and  their  ambition  for  place  and  power  prevented  them  from  knowing  God. 
Quick  to  see  the  force  of  their  admission,  the  man  made  most  excellent  use  of  it 
by  showing  wherein 
they  condemned 
themselves,  saying  : 
"  Why,  herein  is  a 
mar\'elous  thing,  that 
ye  know  not  from 
whence  He  is,  and 
yet  He  hath  opened 
mine  eyes.  Now  we 
know  that  God 
heareth  not  sinners. 
Since  the  world  be- 
gan was  it  not  heard 

that  any  man  opened  the 
eyes  of  one  that  was  bom 
blind.  If  this  man  were 
not  of  God,  He  could  do 
nothing." 

What  a  hard  rap  was 
his  at  the  ignorance,  the 
hypocrisy  and  the  arro- 
gance of  the  Sanhedrim. 
It  was  equivalent  to  say- 
ing :  "You  sit  in  judg- 
ment on  things  concern- 
ing which  you  know  noth- 
ing :  you  hoodwink  the 
people   by    assuming    a 

PERFORATED    PARAPETS    AND   LATTICED   WINDOWS   IN    THE       knowledge  OI  CVCry  tUUlg, 

WALLS  OF  JERUSALEM.  both  secular   and  ecclesi- 

astical, but  you  are  wise  only  in  your  own  conceits,  and  render  your  judgments 
according  to  the  influences  that  affect  your  own  interests.  You  have  no  consider- 
ation for  mercy  when  it  conflicts  with  your  advantages,  and  you  sit  there  now, 
deaf  to  the  voice  of  justice,  and  condemn  Jesus  because  He  does  more  gracious 
works  and  is  more  worthy  of  God's  favor  than  you." 


372  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

No  wonder  the  hierarchal  judges  were  galled  and  that  they  flew  into  a  rage. 
They  could  not  answer  his  arguments,  and  being  convicted  under  the  man's 
accusings  and  the  proofs  which  he  so  ably  proclaimed,  in  a  spirit  of  wrathful 
indignation  they  cr}^,  ' '  Put  him  out,  put  him  out. "  "  Thou  wast  altogether  born 
in  sins,  and  dost  thou  (presume  to)  teach  us  ?  "  And  they  cast  him  out,  excom- 
municated him,  and  would  no  doubt  have  remanded  him  to  perpetual  blindness 
had  they  possessed  the  power. 

Jesus  heard  how  the  man  had  been  treated  by  the  Pharisees,  and  soon  after 
finding  him,  asked,  "  Dost  thou  believe  on  the  Son  of  God?  "  Up  to  this  time 
it  is  evident  that  he  who  had  miraculously  received  sight  did  not  know  his 
benefactor,  though  it  is  probable,  and  so  appears  frpm  his  answers  before  the  San- 
hedrim, that  he  had  a  belief  that  he  had  received  the  gift  from  either  Christ,  of 
whom  he  had  certainly  often  heard,  or  from  some  newly-risen  prophet.  But  he 
asked  in  reply  to  the  inquiry  of  Jesus,  ' '  Who  is  He,  I^ord,  that  I  might  believe  on 
Him  ?  and  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Thou  hast  both  seen  Him,  and  it  is  He  that  talketh 
with  thee."  At  this  revelation  the  man  must  have  rejoiced,  for  his  heart  was  full 
of  gratitude,  so  full  indeed  that  he  would  brave  the  wrath  of  all  Jewry  in  making 
confession  of  his  debt  and  his  acknowledgment  of  the  heavenly-derived  powers  of 
Jesus  ;  so,  without  hesitation,  and  with  fullness  of  faith,  he  said,  "  Lord  I  believe, 
and  he  worshiped  Him."  And  Jesus  said,  "  For  judgment  I  am  come  into  the 
world,  that  they  which  see  not  might  see  ;  and  that  they  which  see  might  be 

made  blind." 

Parable  of  the  Good  Shepherd. 

The  meeting  and  dialogue  between  Jesus  and  the  blind  man  drew  a  crowd  of 
interested  listeners,  among  whom  were  several  Pharisees  who  were  so  stirred  up  by 
the  sayings  of  Christ  that  they  asked  Him,  '  'Are  we  blind  also  ?  "  '  'Ah, ' '  answered 
Jesus,  "  it  were  infinitely  better  for  your  souls  if  you  were  blind,  for  seeing  the 
works  of  God,  and  not  believing  on  Him,  and  being  instructed  by  the  Son  of 
God  and  rejecting  Him,  is  the  blindness  of  obduracy  and  extreme  sinfulness, 
a  condition  worse  than  a  loss  of  all  the  five  senses,  because  you  will  not 
accept  a  cure." 

Jesus  seized  the  occasion  to  discourse  further  to  His  audience,  who  were 
probably  half-inclined  to  receive  His  instructions,  and  to  make  His  meaning  and 
claims  to  Messiahship  more  easily  comprehended  by  His  hearers  He  related  a 
parable  of  the  Good  Shepherd.  This  illustration  was  particularly  appropriate  and 
forceful  among  a  people  who  were  largely  engaged  in  sheep  tending,  constituting 
Indeed  a  chief  industry  of  the  nation,  and  which  was  so  far  a  typical  pursuit  that 
the  shepherds  were  chosen  as  the  first  to  receive  tidings  of  the  Messianic  birth, 
while  Jesus  gave  to  Himself  the  title  of  the  "  Good  Shepherd,"  and  the  shepherd's 
crook  is  still  retained  as  the  sceptre  of  catholic  authority. 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


373 


Said  Jesus,  "I  say  unto  you,  He  that  entereth  not  by  the  door  into  the 
sheepfold,  but  climbeth  up  some  other  way,  the  same  is  a  thief  and  a  robber." 
Or  to  relate  the  parable  in  its  direct  application  :  "I  am  come  into  the  world  to 
gather  within  the  fold  of  everlasting  life  all  men,  of  whatsoever  nationality,  but  no 
man  can  be  of  my  flock  who  seeks  entrance  by  means  such  as  the  Pharisees 
practice,  for  men  shall  not  be  accepted  who  make  a  pretence  of  righteousness 
when  in  fact  they  are  worldly-minded  and  refrain  from  merciful  acts.  These  are 
they  whom  I  may  liken  to  thieves  and  robbers  who  climb  over  and  mingle  with 
the  flock.  The  truly  deserving  can  only  enter  into  the  fold  through  the  door 
provided,  and  I  am  that  door.    They  that  are  within  will  not  hearken  to  the  voice 


ANCIENT  CASTLE   ON   THE  SPUR   OE   MOUNT   CARMEL. 

of  a  stranger,  but  My  call  they  recognize,  since  they  know  that  I  am  the  true 
shepherd.  I  give  my  life  for  my  sheep,  but  he  that  is  a  hireling,  who  assumes  to 
be  a  shepherd  only  to  compass  his  own  evil  ends,  flees  at  the  coming  of  a  wolf — 
the  glittering  promises  of  worldly  preferment  and  pleasure — and  having  no  real 
care  for  the  sheep  leaveth  them  to  be  destroyed  or  scattered." 

"  I  am  the  good  shepherd  and  know  My  sheep,  and  am  known  of  Mine.  As 
the  Father  knoweth  Me,  even  so  know  I  the  Father  ;  and  I  lay  down  My  life  for 
the  sheep.  And  other  sheep  I  have  [all  the  nations  of  the  world]  which  are  not 
of  this  [Jewish]  fold  ;  them  also  must  I  bring,  and  they  shall  hear  My  voice,  and 
there  shall  be  one*  fold  and  one  shepherd.  Therefore  doth  My  Father  love  Me, 
because   I   lay  down   My  life,  that   I  may  take  it  again.     No  man  taketh  it  from 


374  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

Me,  because  I  lay  it  down  of  Myself.     I  have  power  to  lay  it  down,  and   I  have 

power  to  take  it  again." 

The  application  of  the  parable  was  so  direct  and  convicting  that  some  of  the 

Pharisees  took  offence  and  in  their  rabidness  exclaimed,  "  He  hath  a  devil  and  is 

mad  ;  why  hear  ye  Him  ?  "     But  there  were  other  Jews  present  who,  more  just 

and    less    prejudiced,    believed  the    words  of  Christ,    and    therefore  answered : 

"  These  are  not  the  words  of  him  that  hath  a  devil.     Can  a  devil  open  the  eyes 

of  the  blind?" 

Ministry  of  Jesus  in  Perea. 

Departing  from  Jerusalem,  Jesus  returned  again  to  Galilee  ;  but  His  stay  in 
that  province  was  a  short  one,  for  the  Pharisees  haxi  set  the  people  against  Him  so 
virulentl)'  that  His  labors  could  not  again  be  renewed  there  with  promise  of 
reward.  There  was  a  short  interval  between  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles  and  the  Feast 
of  Dedication,  and  though  it  was  not  required  by  the  law  that  every  Jew  should 
be  present  in  Jerusalem  at  the  latter  celebration,  and  though  He  had  been  threat- 
enened  with  arrest  and  with  stoning  on  His  last  visit  to  the  Holy  City,  yet  Jesus 
nevertheless   ' '  steadfastly  set  His  face  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem. ' ' 

After  pronouncing  woes  upon  Capernaum  and  Chorazin,  and  upon  the  cities 
that  rejected  Him,  Jesus  set  out  upon  His  journey,  but  instead  of  proceeding 
directly  toward  Jerusalem,  He  passed  southward  to  the  borders  of  Samaria  and 
thence  eastward  across  the  Jordan  to  the  southern  district  of  Decapolis,  and  thence 
into  Perea.  Wherever  He  went  large  crowds  followed,  beseeching  Him  to  heal  their 
sick  and  to  confer  blessings,  to  all  of  which  calls  upon  His  mercy  He  promptly 
responded  But,  singular  to  relate,  not  only  were  the  scenes  of  pressing  multitudes 
and  miracles  of  healing  which  distinguished  His  ministry  in  Galilee  repeated  in  Perea, 
but  He  found  here  enemies  who  confronted  Him,  as  they  did  in  Galilee,  with  claims 
that  He  performed  miracles  by  a  power  delegated  to  Him  by  Beelzebub.  So  strik- 
ing do  the  coincidences  appear  that  some  learned  commentators  declare  that  Luke, 
who  alone  records  the  incidents  of  this  journey,  has  inserted  a  repetition  of  the 
discourses  and  miracles  performed  by  Jesus  in  Galilee,  a  belief  that  is  accepted  by 
many  of  the  Bible  w/iters.  For  this  reason  it  is  impossible  to  tell  how  long  Jesus 
remained  in  Perea  or  what  He  did  there  ;  but  as  some  months  intervened  between 
the  Feast  of  Dedication,  celebrated  in  December,  and  the  Crucifixion,  an  interval 
in  which  the  life  of  Jesus  was  always  in  jeopardy,  it  is  probable  that  if  He  did 
not  spend  a  greater  part  of  His  time  in  Perea,  He  must  have  been  in  some  retired 
district  of  Judea  for  a  considerable  while.  So  indefinite  are  the  records  that  it 
cannot  with  positiveness  be  stated  that  Jesus  returned  to  Galilee  directly  after  the 
Feast  of  Tabernacles,  and  not  a  few  authorities  hold  to  the  belief  that  He  remained 
somewhere  in  the  vicinity  of  Jerusalem,  perhaps  at  Bethany,  until  after  the  Feast 
of  Dedication.     It  would  be  a  satisfaction  to  know  every  thing  that  transpired  in 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


375 


our  Lord's  life,  and  also  the  order  in  which  the  events  occurred,  but  as  these  have 
not  been  revealed,  we  must  accept  with  thankfulness  that  which  is  recorded,  nor 
spend  our  time  in  vain  discussions  which  can  give  us  neither  satisfaction  nor  conso- 
lation. We  may  derive  comfort  from  the  fact  that,  considering  the  times  in  wliich 
Jesus  lived,  the  few  who  could  read  and  the  fewer  still  who  could  write,  and  the 
labor,  with  crude  means  at  hand,  of  compiling  records,  and  the  persecution  of  Christ 
and  His  disciples,  it  is  a  miracle  that  so  many  of  His  works  and  sayings  have 
been  preserved  to  us. 

A  Hypocritical  interrogation. 

It  is  related  by  lyuke  that  on  this  presumably  last  journey  of  our  Lord  many 
expedients  were  employed  bj-  the  Pharisees  to  entrap  Jesus,  not  only  by  arraign- 
ing Him  before 
the  people  as  a 
desecrater  of  the 
Sabbath,  and  as 
a  person  in  col- 
lusion with  Sa- 
tan, but  also  by 
attempts  to  ex- 
pose Him  as  one 
ignorant  of  the 
Mosaic  law,  and 
thus  to  hold  Him 
up  before  the 
people  as  an  im- 
postor. This  last 
subtle  effort  was 
not  without 
promise  of  suc- 
cess, for  the  law 
and  its  interpre- 
tations   were     a 

mass  of  contradictaries  which  it  required 
This  Jesus  showed  on  many  occasions  by  healing  the  sick  on  the  Sabbath,  by 
excusing  His  disciples  for  plucking  grain  on  that  day,  by  receiving  the  anointings 
of  Mary  Magdalene  at  Simon's  house,  by  forgiving  the  woman  taken  in  sin,  etc. 
And  yet  on  each  occasion  He  gave  such  excellent  reasons  for  his  conduct  that,  m 
the  estimation  of  the  unprejudiced.  He  found  justification  against  both  law  and 
immemorial  custom.  But  though  often  vanquished,  the  enemies  of  Jesus  did  not 
cease  their  efforts  to  confound  Him  by  plying  questions  in  which  their  own  law 


THE   PRIEST   AND   I.EVITE    PASSKO 

the    Messiah    indeed    to    reconcile. 


RV. 


376  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

was  in  conflict  with  experience  and  practice,  and  which  to  answer  in  any  wise 
would  therefore  appear  necessarily  to  involve  either  an  inconsistency  or  direct 
violation.  Thus  a  certain  rabbi,  a  lawyer  as  he  was  called,  because  of  his  thor- 
ough knowledge  of  the  Mosaic  law,  of  which  he  was  an  interpreter,  beholding 
Jesus  as  He  was  probably  discoursing  to  an  audience,  propounded  to  Him  this 
question  :  "  Master,  what  shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life?  "  and  Jesus  answered, 
"What  is  written  in  the  law  ?  How  do  you  interpret  it  ?  "  To  this  the  rabbi 
replied  by  quoting  the  law:  "Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy 
heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength,  and  with  all  thy  mind  ; 
and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself "  This  law  the  rabbi  recited  with  a  glibness  that 
showed  how  often  he  had  repeated  it  before  the  classes  under  his  instruction  ;  so 
trippingly  that  it  proved  how  parrot-like  were  his  morning  and  evening  utter 
ances,  and  how  truly  small  was  his  sincerity  of  belief  in  the  law  which  he  made 
a  part  of  his  daily  invocation,  and  which  he  wore  as  an  ornament  on  his  phylac- 
teries. But  his  false  conception  of  the  true  spirit  which  the  law  was  intended  to 
embody  was  further  exhibited  by  the  inquiry  which  followed.  Said  Jesus,  "  Obey 
this  law  and  thou  shalt  live. "  "  But,"  asked  the  rabbi,  ' '  who  is  my  neighbor  ?" 
If  Christ  had  answered,  "  Thy  neighbor  is  he  who  lives  near  you,  or  who  is  thy 
intimate,  or  who  is  tlty  towmsman,  or  who  is  thy  confederate  in  any  cause,  or  any 
one  be  he  Jew  or  Gentile, ' '  the  lawyer  would  have  ridiculed  Him  and  said  to  the 
people  about  Him  :  "  Did  I  not  tell  you  that  this  man,  who  declares  Himself  one 
■sent  by  God  to  proclaim  a  new  gospel,  is  an  impostor?  Why,  He  knows  nothing 
about  the  law,  for  does  not  the  Mosaic  statute  sa}^  '  An  eye  for  an  eye  and  a  tooth 
for  a  tooth,'  and  does  it  not  deal  with  offences,  and  condemn  evil,  and  punish  with 
stripes,  and  with  stoning,  and  with  execution,  and  cast  out  the  Gentile  as  unworthy 
to  be  numbered  with  the  congregation  ?  and  in  violation  of  these  sacred  laws  this 
man  does  not  condemn  the  wicked,  He  does  not  favor  the  punishment  of  evii 
■doers,  He  forgives  sinners.  He  regards  not  the  Sabbath,  He  pardons  the  guilty^ 
.and  He  fellowships  with  publicans  and  Gentiles." 

Parable  of  the  Good  Samaritan. 

Christ  knew  what  was  in  the  heart  of  this  hypocritical  rabbi,  He  saw  the 
purpose  of  the  inquiry,  He  thoroughly  vuiderstood  the  craft  of  this  lawyer,  hence 
He  answered  the  question  by  delivering  a  parable,  which  was  a  form  of  instruc- 
tion common  among  rabbinical  teachers  themselves.  Said  He  :  A  certain  man 
went  down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho.  The  way,  as  3^ou  know,,  is  rugged  and 
robber-infested,  so  that  it  is  considered  one  of  the  most  dangerous  in  all  Palestine. 
Caves  abound  in  which  thieves  may  take  refuge  when  beset  by  officers  of  the  law, 
and  there  are  lofty  crags  overhanging  the  road  in  many  places,  from  which  a  small 
murderous  band  might  hurl  down  rocks  upon  an   enemy  below,  so  that  it  is  a 


THE  GOOD  SAMARITAN. — From  the  Painting  by  a  A.  Morot,  Medal  of  Honor,  Paris  Salon,  i88a 

(377) 


378  FROM    MANGER  TO  THRONE. 

perilous  undertaking  for  even  a  well-armed  body  to  attempt  a  dislodgment  and 
arrest  of  outlaws  who  infest  such  a  retreat.  But  this  man  had  to  pass  through 
this  dangerous  region,  hoping,  however,  that  his  povert}-  would  preserve  him 
against  attack,  as  he  carried  nothing  to  excite  the  cupidity  of  thieves.  But  his 
hopes  were  cruelly  disappointing,  for  he  had  not  gone  far  on  the  way  when  a  band 
of  robbers  rushed  out  and  with  stones  or  bludgeons  knocked  him  down  and  after 
stripping  him  of  his  clothes  left  him,  half-dead  from  terrible  wounds,  to  the  cold 
mercies  of  any  passer-by.  Presently,  after  the  robbers  had  departed,  a  priest 
came  that  way  and  saw  the  poor  man  lying  in  a  pool  of  blood,  moaning  and 
perhaps  feebly  calling  for  help.  But  the  priest  only  gathered  up  his  own  robes  to 
prevent  soilure  in  the  bloody  dust  of  the  road,  and  making  a  half  circuit  about 
the  victim,  went  on,  heedless  of  the  appeals  made  for  assistance.  Directly  a 
I^evite,  who  was  of  the  priestly  class,  came  also  by  the  place,  and  seeing  the 
wounded  man,  had  barely  enough  curiosity  to  stop  and  look  at  him.  But  the 
groans  of  the  sufferer  failed  to  arouse  any  compassion,  and  so  he  too  went  on, 
without  so  much  as  inquiring  how  badly  he  was  hurt,  or  giving  him  a  drink  of 
water,  or  offering  a  word  of  encouragement  by  the  way  of  a  promise  to  send  him 
aid.  And  in  the  roadway  the  poor  man  was  left  unattended,  until  a  Samaritan, 
journeying  over  the  way,  came  up  and  discovered  his  sorry  condition.  In  a 
moment  the  Samaritan's  heart  was  struck  with  compassion  ;  he  saw  that  the 
wounded  man  was  ^  Jew,  and  hence  his  enemy,  but  in  the  presence  of  suffering 
he  forgot  nationality,  he  ignored  the  enmities  that  divided  the  two  peoples,  he 
felt  only  his  humanity  knocking  at  his  heart  and  saying,  ' '  Give  the  wounded 
stranger  assistance  ;"  and  taking  a  bottle  of  wine  from  his  hamper,  with  it  he 
washed  the  wounds  and  then  poured  a  healing  oil  over  the  bruises  and  the  bleed- 
ing cuts,  and  tearing  a  bandage  from  one  of  his  garments  he  bound  up  the  injuries, 
after  which  he  lifted  the  poor  man  upon  his  own  beast  and  conveyed  him  to  the 
nearest  inn.  But  his  compassion  did  not  expend  itself  with  this  noble  deed  of 
merc)',  for  being  unable  to  remain  and  care  for  the  sufferer  himself  beyond  a  day, 
before  he  departed  he  took  money  from  his  purse  and  gave  it  to  the  inn-keeper, 
saying  :  "Take  care  of  him  ;  and  whatsoever  thou  spendest  more,  when  I  come 
again  I  will  repay  thee." 

"Which  now  of  these  three,"  asked  Jesus  of  the  rabbi,  "  thinkest  thou, 
was  neighbor  unto  him  that  fell  among  thieves  ? ' '  and  the  rabbi  answered, 
"  He  that  showed  mercy  on  him."  Then  said  Jesus  unto  him,  "Go  thou  and 
do  likewise." 


NORTHERN 

PALESTINE 

Scale  of  MIloa 


rutti^  I 


(379) 


ST.   LO:.;  :     '.    3.  LI'liuAKY 

BOYS'    DdPT. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  MARY  AND  MARTHA, 

OVER  yonder  is  a  beautiful  village  homestead.  The  man  of  the  house 
is  dead,  and  his  widow  is  taking  charge  of  the  premises.  This  is  the 
widow  Martha  of  Bethany.  Yes,  I  will  show  you  also  the  pet  of  the 
household.  This  is  Mary,  the  youngest  sister,  with  a  book  under  her 
arm,  and  her  face  having  no  appearance  of  anxiety  or  perturbation.  Company 
has  come.  Christ  stands  outside  the  door,  and,  of  course,  there  is  a  good  deal 
of  excitement  inside  the  house.  The  disarranged  furniture  is  hastily  put  aside, 
and  the  hair  is  brushed  back,  and  the  dresses  are  adjusted  as  well  as,  in  so  short 
a  time,  Mary  and  Martha  can  attend  to  these  matters. 

The  Welcome  to  Christ. 

They  did  not  keep  Christ  standing  at  the  door  until  they  were  newly  ap- 
pareled, or  until  they  had  elaborately  arranged  their  tresses,  then  coming  out 
with  their  affected  surprise  as  though  they  had  not  heard  the  two  or  three 
previous  knockings,  saying:  "Why,  is  that  you?"  No.  They  were  ladies, 
and  were  alwaj^s  presentable,  although  they  may  not  have  always  had  on  their 
best,  for  none  of  us  always  have  on  our  best ;  if  we  did,  our  best  would  not  be 
worth  having  on.  They  throw  open  the  door,  and  greet  Christ.  They  say  : 
"  Good  morning,  Master  ;  come  in,  and  be  seated." 

Christ  did  not  come  alone  ;  He  had  a  group  of  friends  with  him,  and  such 
an  influx  of  city  visitors  would  throw  any  country  home  into  perturbation.  I 
suppose  also  the  walk  from  the  city  had  been  a  good  appetizer.  The  kitchen 
department  that  day  was  a  ver>'  important  department,  and  I  suppose  that  Martha 
had  no  sooner  greeted  the  guests  than  she  fled  to  that  room.  Mary  had  no 
anxiety  about  household  affairs.  She  had  full  confidence  that  Martha  could  get 
up  the  best  dinner  in  Bethany.  She  seems  to  say  :  "  Now,  let  us  have  a  division 
of  labor.     Martha,  you  cook,  and  I'll  sit  down  and  be  good." 

So  3^ou  have  often  seen  a  great  difference  between  two  sisters.  There  is 
Martha,  hard-working,  pains-taking,  a  good  manager,  ever  inventive  of  some 
new  pastr>',  or  discovering  something  in  the  art  of  cooking  and  housekeeping. 
There  is  Mary,  also,  fond  of  conversation,  literary,  so  engaged  in  deep  questions 
of  ethics  she  has  no  time  to  attend  to  the  questions  of  household  welfare.  It  is 
noon.  Mary  is  in  the  parlor  with  Christ.  Martha  is  in  the  kitchen.  It  would 
have  been  better  if  they  had  divided  the  work,  and  then  they  could  have  divided 

(380) 


nrsTi.iNc.  MARTHA   anh  \v\rn\c.   makv. 


(3«i: 


382  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

the    opportunity  of   listening    to   Jesus ;   but    Mary    monopolizes    Christ,    while 
Martha  swelters  at  the  fire. 

Trouble  in  the  Kitchen. 

It  was  a  very  important  thing  that  they  should  have  a  good  dinner  that  day. 
Christ  was  hungr>%  and  He  did  hot  often  have  a  luxurious  entertainment.  Alas  ! 
me,  if  the  duty  had  devolved  upon  Mary,  what  a  repast  that  would  have  been  ! 
But  something  went  wrong  in  the  kitchen.  Perhaps  the  fire  would  not  burn,  or 
the  bread  would  not  bake,  or  Martha  scalded  her  hand,  or  something  was  burned 
black  that  ought  only  to  have  been  made  brown  ;  and  Martha  lost  her  patience, 
and  forgetting  the  proprieties  of  the  occasion,  with  besweated  brow,  and  perhaps 
with  pitcher  in  one  hand  and  tongs  in  the  other,  she  rushes  out  of  the  kitchen 
into  the  presence  of  Christ,  saying  :  "  Lord,  dost  Thou  not  care  that  my  sister 
hath  left  me  to  serve  alone  ? ' ' 

Christ  scolded  not  a  word.  If  it  were  scolding,  I  should  rather  have  His 
scolding  than  anybody  else's  blessing.  There  was  nothing  acerb.  He  knew 
Martha  had  almost  worked  herself  to  death  to  get  Him  something  to  eat,  and  so 
He  throws  a  world  of  tenderness  into  His  intonation  as  He  seems  to  say  :  ' '  My 
•dear  woman,  do  not  worry  ;  let  the  dinner  go  ;  sit  down  on  this  ottoman  beside 
Mary,  your  younger  sister.  Martha,  Martha-,  thou  art  careful  and  troubled  about 
man}'  things,  but  one  thing  is  needful."  As  Martha  throws  open  that  kitchen 
■door,  I  look  in  and  see  a  great  many  household  perplexities  and  anxieties. 

L,azarus  was  probably  the  mainsta}^  of  his  sisters,  though  the  family  may 
have  been  wealthy,  as  the  character  of  their  house  certainly  indicates,  if  the  ruins 
pointed  out  to  travelers  as  those  of  the  residence  of  the  three  be  genuine. 
Martha,  being  the  elder,  took  upon  herself  the  responsibilities  of  the  house,  and 
being  an  industrious,  pushing,  ambitious  woman,  was  occasionally  out  of  patience 
with  Mary,  who  was  probably  of  a  more  social  disposition  than  her  sister,  and 
sometimes  forgot  her  domestic  duties  in  her  attentions  to  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances. But  Jesus  did  not  regard  this  as  a  fault,  since  we  owe  obligations  to 
society  which  in  a  degree  under  circumstances  are  as  imperative  as  household 
requirements,  for  it  is  to  this  social  characteristic  that  we  stand  indebted  for  our 
pre-eminence  above  the  lowest  classes  of  human  life. 

But  Christ  had  been  a  frequent  visitor  to  the  house  of  Mary  and  Martha,  and 
it  is  probable  that  He  made  it  His  home  during  His  visits  to  Jerusalem.  He  had 
revealed  Himself  to  them  as  the  Christ,  and  hence  we  can  have  no  surprise  that 
Mary  was  so  ardently  attached  to  Him,  and  that  she  forgot  all  else  when  sitting 
at  His  feet  receiving  His  instructions.  Therefore  when  Martha  came  with  her 
complaint  to  Jesus,  He  said  to  her  :  ' '  Thou  art  troubled  about  many  things  :  but 
one  thing  is  needful ;  and  Mary  hath  chosen  that  good  part,  which  shall  not  be 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE.  383 

taken  away  from  her.  She  is  more  anxious  about  her  soul  than  about  her  cor- 
poreal needs,  and  her  joy  is  therefore  in  learning  the  means  of  salvation  which  I 
have  come  to  declare.  This  is  that  better  part  which  shall  never  be  taken  away, 
but  shall  bloom  perpetually  in  her  heart  until  it  shall  bear  fruitage  in  that  kingdom 

from  which  I  am  come." 

Return  of  the  Seventy. 

While  Jesus  was  in  tl'ie  vicinity  of  Jerusalem,  teaching  small  parties  that 
gathered  about  Him,  the  seventy  disciples  whom  He  had  sent  forth  to  preach, 
when  on  His  way  to  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  returned  and  made  report  to  Him 
of  their  extraordinary  success,  and  declaring  that  they  had  even  power  over  devils 
in  the  name  of  their  Master.  This  happy  announcement  certainly  gave  great 
pleasure  to  Jesus,  even  though  He  must  have  foreseen  the  results  of  their  labors, 
for  though  as  Christ  He  knew  every  man's  heart  and  could  grasp  the  two  eternities 
of  the  past  and  future,  yet  within  Him  was  also  a  temporal  nature  that  connected 
Him  with  the  earth  by  common  attributes  of  a  mortal,  and  to  which  He  was 
largely  subject.  Therefore  must  He  have  been  gratified  by  the  report  of  His 
emissaries,  which  foreshadowed  the  success  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Gospel  He  had 
come  to  set  up.  But  with  a  comprehension  of  the  ills  which  might  follow 
unbridled  zeal  and  which  frequently  among  men  makes  over-self-confidence  a  pre- 
cursor of  failure,  Jesus  saw  the  necessity  of  repressing  the  extreme  enthusiasm 
of  His  exulting  disciples,  and  He  therefore  said  to  them,  in  effect  :  "Your  report 
is  indeed  very  encouraging,  but  it  was  given  to  Me  to  foresee  how  Satan  would 
fall  from  heaven  like  a  bolt  of  lightning,  and  how  he  would  be  unable  to  with- 
stand the  power  delegated  to  you  through  Me.  I  have  subjected  him  to  you  as 
he  has  been  subjected  to  Me,  and  I  will  give  to  you  also  power  to  tread  on  serpents 
and  on  scorpions,  and  over  all  evil  things,  none  of  which  shall  hurt  you  ;  but 
nevertheless  rejoice  not  so  much  at  the  power  thus  bestowed  as  at  the  blessings 
which  follow  your  works,  and  the  knowledge  that  your  names  are  written  in 
heaven."  And  with  this  Jesus  lifted  His  eyes  towards  heaven  with  thanksgiving, 
saying,  "  I  thank  Thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  that  Thou  hast  hid 
these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed  them  unto  babes." 
And  turning  to  His  disciples  again.  He  said,  "  Blessed  are  the  eyes  which  see  the 
things  that  ye  see  ;  for  I  tell  you  that  many  prophets  and  kings  have  desired  to 
see  those  things  which  ye  see,  and  have  not  seen  them  :  and  to  hear  those  things 
which  ye  hear,  and  have  not  heard  them." 

Efficacy  of  Prayer. 

One  of  the  disciples,  deeply  impressed  by  Christ's  words,  asked  Him  for  a 
form  of  prayer  which  should  serve  for  constant  invocation,  such  as  John,  or  the 
rabbis,  prescribed  for  their  followers.     This  disciple  had  probably  been  accepted 


38^  FROM    MANGER    TO   THRONE. 

some  time  after  the  ^  .-rmon  on  the  Mount  was  delivered,  and  though  he  may  have 
heard  the  prayer  which  was  then  given  by  our  Lord  repeated  by  others,  yet  he 
desired  to  receive  a  form  from  Christ's  own  lips.  His  request  was  answered  by 
Jesus,  who  repeated  substantially  the  prayer  with  which  all  Christians  are  so 
familiar,  and  which  glows  as  a  jewel  in  His  incomparable  Sermon  on  the  Mount. 
Having  thus  satisfied  the  disciple's  longing,  Jesus  took  occasion  to  speak  of  the 
efficacy  of  prayer  when  the  utterance  is  accompanied?  by  great  faith  and  persist- 
ency, using  the  illustration  of  how  a  friend  may  be  prevailed  upon  by  persistent 
entreaty  to  do  a  thing  when  simple  request  would  fail  to  influence  him.  Then 
said  He,  ' '  If  perseverance  in  your  importunities  move  a  selfish  man  to  grant 
your  petitions,  how  much  more  willing  is  God  to  listen  to  your  supplications,  since 
persistence  in  prayer  affords  proof  of  sincerity  and  faithful  devotion  to  God  and 
dependence  in  His  mercy." 

Jesus  Shows  Himself  in  the  Temple. 

For  two  or  three  months  Jesus  had  snjourned  among  His  friends  in  the 
vicinity  of  Jerusalem,  doubtless  living  in  partial  seclusion,  and  teaching  among 
the  few  who  were  willing  to  receive  His  instructions  even  if  they  were  indisposed 
to  accept  Him  as  the  Messiah.  His  wisdom,  mercifulness  and  exemplary  life  were 
attractions  which  the  honest  Jews  could  hardly  resist,  and  the  few  who  were  not 
afflicted  with  the  canker  of  prejudice  and  bigotry,  listened  to  Him  with  eagerness, 
though  His  conversions  during  this  period  were  few. 

The  Feast  of  Dedication  w^as  now  at  hand,  when  there  was  a  rejoicing  of 
seven  days  in  commemoration  of  the  renew^al  of  the  Temple  worship  after  its  sus- 
pension under  the  edict  of  Antiochus.  December's  Cold  had  made  out-door 
preaching  uncomfortable,  and  as  Jesus  always  observed  the  national  celebrations. 
He  entered  Jerusalem  at  the  time  of  the  feast  to  participate  in  the  jubilation.  His 
appearance  on  Solomon's  porch,  which  was  that  portion  of  the  first  Temple  which 
Nebuchadnezzar  had  neglected  to  destroy,  was  quickly  followed  by  a  scramble  on 
the  part  of  those  who  hr.d  been  in  the  court  to  approach  nearer  to  Him.  Almost 
on  the  instant  he  monopolized  popular  attention,  and  crowds  pressed  about  Him, 
the  Pharisees  seizing  the  occasion  to  ply  Him  with  questions.  For  some  reasons 
they  were  more  conciliatory  in  their  speech,  and  seemed  to  invite  overtures  for  a 
reconcilement  of  the  differences  that  had  broken  into  revilings  and  threatenings 
against  Him  on  several  occasions.  But  it  was  plain  that  they  could  not  abandon 
their  position  of  hostility  unless  He  would  renounce  His  pretensions  and  become 
plastic  to  their  ambitions.  They  therefore  said  to  Him  :  ' '  We  have  waited  long 
for  a  Messiah,  who  has  been  promised  to  restore  Israel  to  her  former  glory,  and  as 
Thou  hast  often  intimated  that  Thou  art  that  Messiah,  we  ask  Thee  now  to  tell 
us  openly.     Do  not  keep   us   longer   in    doubt,  but    if  Thou    be    Christ  tell  us 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  385 

plainly."  Jesus  was  not  to  be  beguiled  by  their  soft  platitudes,  or  their  profifers 
of  friendship  on  conditions,  so  He  answered  them  :  "I  told  you  and  ye  believed 
me  not ;  the  works  that  I  do  in  my  Father's  name,  they  bear  witness  of  Me.  But 
ye  believe  not,  because  ye  are  not  of  My  sheep,  as  I  ,5aid  unto  you. "  Or  in  other 
words  :  "  I  have  not  only  told  you,  but  I  have  given  proofs  of  My  Messiahship  by 
works,  by  miracles,  which  I  could  only  do  through  povver  given  Me  by  My  Father. 
But  you  will  not  believe  Me  because  you  are  not  My  sheep.  They  who  are 
within  the  fold  acknowledge  Me  as  their  shepherd  and  know  My  voice  ;  to  these 
I  give  eternal  life.  My  Father  which  gave  Me  power  to  work  wonders  and  to 
save  souls  is  greater  than  all,  yet  I  and  My  Father  are  one." 

Jesus  Vanishes  Out  of  the  Hands  of  His  Enemies. 

At  this  declaration  of  His  equality  with  God,  .]esus  was  loudly  reviled,  and 
some  of  the  more  bigoted  and  frantic  Jews  took  up  stones  to  hurl  at  Him.  But 
calm  in  His  Godly  dignity  and  self-possession,  Jesus  stood  fearless  before  His 
brutal  enemies  and  awed  them  by  His  majestic  demeanor.  "Ay,"  said  He, 
"  these  are  your  arguments,  fer  lack  of  reason  you  would  take  up  stones  ;  pray, 
for  what  deed  of  mercy  would  you  stone  Me  ?  "  "  It  is  not  for  good  works  that 
we  would  stone  You,"  answered  the  crowd,  "but  for  bla.sphemy,  because  Thou 
makest  Thyself  the  equal  of  God. ' ' 

"  Do  you  not  know,"  replied  Jesus,  "  that  it  is  written  in  the  law,  '  I  said  ye 
are  gods  ?  '  If  therefore  ye  shall  call  the  old  patriarchs  and  the  ancient  rulers  of 
Israel  gods,  how  can  you  say  I  am  a  blasphemer,  when  I  have  given  you  the 
proofs  that  I  am  above  both  ruler  and  prophet,  the  Messiah  who  has  been  sent 
into  the  world  with  such  power  as  you  have  with  your  own  eyes  seen  Me  manifest. 
By  these  works,  if  ye  were  not  full  of  bigotry  and  worldliness,  ye  would  know 
that  the  Father  is  in  Me,  and  I  in  the  Father. ' ' 

This  further  incensed  the  Jews  against  Jesus,  for  while  awaiting  an  answer 
to  their  first  question  they  had  listened  to  a  defence  of  His  claims  to  Messiahship. 
Their  anger  now  knew  no  bounds  ;  with  threatenings  of  vengeance  and  raven- 
ings  of  intense  excitement  and  consuming  anger,  the  crowd,  now  grown  into  a 
mob,  rushed  toward  Jesus  with  the  intention  of  dragging  Him  outside  the  Tem- 
ple and  there  stoning  Him  to  death.  But  His  time  had  not  yet  come.  As  on 
two  other  equally  perilous  occasions,  He  suddenly  disappeared  and  left  His  rabid 
enemies  howling  in  distraction  at  the  miscarriage  of  their  murderous  designs. 

••  Lazarus,  Whom  Thou  Lovest,  is  Sick." 

Having,  through   a  miracle,  it  would  appear,  escaped  the  frenzy  of  a   mob, 
Jesus  withdrew  from  Jerusalem  "  and  went  away  again   beyond  Jordan  into  the 
place  where  John  at  fir.'^t  baptized."     In  this  region,  where  the  people  were  called 
25 


386  FROM    MANGER   TO  THRONE 

heathens,  He  would  be  comparatively  safe,  even  though  here  also  He  had  met 
on  previous  visits  with  taunts  and  reviling.  But  in  Galilee,  or. Samaria,  or  Judea, 
there  was  no  security,  for  His  appearance  in  either  province  would  have  been 
quickly  followed  by  arrest  and  probable  execution.  Hence,  He  went  again  into 
Perea,  and  to  His  joy  crowds  "resorted  unto  Him"  and  openly  acknowledged 
His  Messianic  powers,  for  said  they  "John  did  no  miracles  ;  but  all  things  that 
John  spoke  of  this  Man  were  true.     And  many  believed  on  Him  there." 

While  Jesus  was  thus  preaching  to  interested  congregations  at  Bethabara,  a 
messenger  came  in  great  haste  from  Martha  and  Mary  in  Bethany  with  the  sad 
tidings,  "  Lord,  behold,  he  whom  Thou  lovest  is  sick." 

My  Bible  is  written  all  over  with  lead-pencil  marks  made  last  December  at 
Bethany  on  the  ruins  of  the  house  of  Mar>'  and  Martha  and  Lazarus.  We  dis- 
mounted from  our  horses  on  the  way  up  from  Jordan  and  the  Dead  Sea.  Bethany 
was  the  summer  evening  retreat  of  Jesus.  After  spending  the  day  in  the  hot  city 
of  Jerusalem,  He  would  come  out  there  almost  ever>'  evening  to  the  house  of  His 
three  friends.  I  think  the  occupants  of  that  house  were  orphans,  for  the  father 
and  mother  are  not  mentioned.  But  the  son  and  two  daughters  certainly  inherited 
property,  for  it  must  have  been,  judging  from  what  I  saw  of  the  foundations  and 
the  size  of  the  rooms,  an  opulent  home.  Lazarus,  the  brother,  was  now  the  head 
of  the  household  and  his  sisters  depended  on  him,  for  he  was  very  popular  and 
everybody  liked  him,  and  these  girls  were  splendid  girls.  Martha,  a  first-rate 
housekeeper,  and  Mary,  a  spirituelle,  somewhat  dreamy,  but  affectionate,  and  as 
good  a  girl  as  could  be  found  in  all  Palestine.  But  one  day  Lazarus  got  sick. 
The  sisters  are  in  consternation.  Father  gone  and  mother  gone,  they  feel  very 
nervous  lest  they  lose  their  brother  also.  Oh,  the  pain  of  waiting  in  such  an 
emergency.  And  the  two  sorrow-stricken  sisters  sit  and  rock  themselves  in  exces- 
sive, almost  hysterical  grief,  crying  the  while,  "  Oh,  if  Jesus  were  only  here.  He 
would  save  our  brother. ' '  But  there  is  no  response  to  their  message  and  Lazarus 
grows  worse  and  worse.  The  fever,  the  thirst,  the  quickening  breath,  the  pinched 
features,  the  rolling  blood-shot  eyes,  tell  a  story  quite  as  sad  as  any  the  doctor 
himself  could  relate.  How  the  girls  hang  over  his  pillow  !  Not  much  sleep 
about  that  house,  no  sleep  at  all.  From  the  characteristics  otherwise  developed, 
I  judge  that  Martha  prepared  the  medicines  and  made  tempting  dishes  of  food 
for  the  poor  appetite  of  the  sufferer,  but  Mary  prayed  and  sobbed.  Worse  and 
worse  gets  Lazarus,  until  the  doctor  announces  that  he  can  do  no  more.  The 
shriek  that  went  up  from  that  household  when  the  last  breath  had  been  drawn 
and  the  two  sisters  were  being  led  by  sympathizers  into  the  adjoining  room,  all 
those  of  us  can  imagine  who  have  had  our  own  hearts  "broken.  But  why  was 
not  Jesus  there  as  He  so  often  had  been  ?  Far  away  in  the  countr}^  districts 
preaching,  healing  other  sick,  how  unfortunate  that  this  Omnipotent   Doctor  had 


(387) 


388  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

not  been  at  that  domestic  crisis  in  Bethany.  When  at  last  Jesus  arrived  in 
Bethany,  Lazarus  had  been  buried  four  days  and  dissolution  had  taken  place.  In 
that  climate  the  breathless  body  disintegrates  more  rapidly  than  in  ours.  If, 
immediately  after  decease,  that  body  had  been  awakened  into  life,  unbelievers 
might  have  said  he  was  only  in  a  comatose  condition. 

But  Christ  remained  for  two  days  after  receipt  of  the  message,  preaching  at 
Bethabara,  before  He  left  off  His  work  of  teaching  to  go  to  the  relief  of  Lazarus, 
and  before  this  time  had  expired  His  friend  was  dead  and  laid  away  in  the  sepul- 
chre. But  Jesus  knew  the  very  moment  when  Lazarus  died,  and  deferred  His 
return  to  Bethany  in  order  to  make  a  more  glorious  manifestation  of  His  power 
and  infinite  mercy.  When  at  length  He  said  to  His  disciples,  ' '  Let  us  go  into 
Judea,"  they  were  amazed  at  His  apparent  recklessness  and  advised  against  such 
a  perilous  undertaking,  saying,  "  Master,  the  Jews  of  late  sought  to  stone  Thee  ; 
and  goest  Thou  thither  again  ?  "  But  he  replied  by  asking  them  "  Are  there  not 
twelve  hours  in  the  day  ?  "  Meaning  thereby  that  His  work  could  not  be  arrested 
until  the  hour  when  His  earthly  mission  should  be  accomplished  ;  that  until  that 
time  all  the  power  on  earth  could  not  close  His  labors  by  bringing  Him  to  the 
sacrifice  which  it  was  given  Him  to  know  He  was  to  suffer.  Then  said  He,  "  Our 
friend  Lazarus  sleepeth  ;  but  I  go  that  I  may  wake  him  out  of  his  sleep."  Why 
waken  him,  when  sleep  is  an  index  of  restoration  ;  when  sleep  j;moothes  the 
wrinkles  of  pain  ;  when  sleep  lifts  the  burden  of  suffering  and  lures  back  the 
fugitives  of  streng^  and  composure  ?  And  so  the  disciples  wondered  why  Jesus 
would  wake  his  friend,  for  they  did  not  understand  that  the  sleep  of  Lazarus  was 
the  sound  slumber  of  death.  Thereupon  Jesus  told  thera  plainly.  Thomas, 
apparently  regarding  his  Master's  safety  more  than  the  mission  which  prompted 
Him  to  return,  spoke  boldly  to  the  other  disciples,  "  Let  us  also  go  that  we  may 
die  with  Him.".  But  there  is  no  occasion  for  fear,  Thomas  ;  the  Jews  will  not 
yet  harm  Him,  for  the  day  of  His  labors  is  not  yet  spent.  And  so  they  all  started 
back  to  Bethany,  but  on  their  near  approach  to  the  place,  they  met  Martha,  who, 
with  fresh  burst  of  grief  told  Jesus  that  Lazarus  had  already  lain  in  the  grave 
four  da>j,  and  in  despairing  voice  exclaimed,  "Lord,  if  Thou  hadst  been  here 
my  brother  had  not  died."  If  this  Were  not  sufficient  evidence  of  Lazarus's 
death,  there  is  plenty  of  other  proof.  Mary  and  Martha  and  her  brother  had 
many  friends,  and  these  had  not  yet  ceased  to  offer  their  consoleraents  in  comfort- 
ing words  and  kindly  acts  of  sympathy.  But  there  was  also  the  grave  in  which 
the  body  was  lying,  and  to  the  sepulchre  therefore  Jesus  was  led  by  the  two  sor- 
rowing sisters,  accompanied  by  a  curious  crowd.  Many  sympathizing  friends 
were  there,  but  of  the  group  there  were  three  especially  conspicuous  :  Jesus,  who 
was  the  family  friend,  and  the  two  bereft  sisters.  We  went  into  the  traditional 
tomb  in  December,  and  it  is  deep  down  and  dark,  and  with  torches  we  explored 


FROM    MANGER    TO   THRONE.  389 

It.  We  found  it  all  quiet  that  afternoon  of  our  visit,  but  the  day  spoken  of  m  the 
Bible  there  was  present  an  excited  multitude.  I  wonder  what  Jesus  wiU  do  !  He 
orders  the  door  of  the  grave  removed,  and  then  He  begins  to  descend  the  steps, 
Mary  and  Martha  close  after  Him,  and  the  crowd  after  them.  Deeper  down  into 
the  shadows  and  deeper  !  The  hot  tears  of  Jesus  roll  over  His  cheeks  and  plash 
upon  the  back  of  His  hands.  Were  ever  so  many  sorrows  compressed  into  so 
small  a  space  as  in  that  group  passing  on  down  after  Christ,  all  the  time  bemoan- 
ing that  He  had  not  come  before  ?  Now  all  the  whispering,  and  all  the  crying, 
and  all  the  sounds  of  shuffling  feet  are  stopped.  It  is  the  silence  of  expectancy. 
Death  had  conquered,  but  now  the  Vanquisher  of  Death  confronts  the  scene. 
Amid  the  awful  hush  of  the  tomb  the  familiar  name  which  Christ  had  often  upon 
His  lips  in  tlae  hospitalities  of  the  village-home  comes  back  to  His  tongue,  and 
with  a  pathos  and  an  almightiness  of  which  tlie  resurrection  of  the  last  day  shall 
be  only  an  echo,  He  cries,  "  Lazarus  !  come  forth  !  "  The  eyes  of  the  slumberer 
open  and  he  rises  and  comes  to  the  foot  of  the  steps  and  with  great  difficulty 
begins  to  ascend,  for  the  cerements  of  the  tomb  are  yet  on  him  and  his  feet  are 
fast  and  his  hands  are  fast,  and  the  impediments  to  all  his  movements  are  so  great 
that  Jesus  commands  :  "  Take  off  these  cerements  ;  remove  these  hinderances  ; 
unfasten  these  grave  clothes;  loose  him  and  let  him  go  !  "  Oh,  I  am  so  glad 
that  after  the  Lord  raised  Lazarus  He  went  on  and  commanded  the  loosening  of 
the  cords  that  bound  his  feet,  so  that  he  could  walk,  and  the  breaking  off"  of  the 
cerements  that  bound  his  hands,  so  that  he  could  stretch  out  his  arms  in  saluta- 
tion, and  the  tearing  off  of  the  bandage  from  around  his  jaws,  so  that  he  could 
speak.  What  would  resurrected  life  have  been  to  Lazarus  if  he  had  not  been 
freed  from  all  those  cripplements  of  his  body  ?  I  am  glad  that  Christ  commanded 
his  complete  emancipation,  saying,  "  Loose  him  and  let  him  go." 

Jesus  is  Condemned  to  Death  by  the  Sanhedrim. 

The  raising  of  Lazarus  produced  a  profound  sensation,  far  exceeding  that 
created  by  the  restoration  of  the  widow's  son  or  Jairus'  daughter.  Many  of  the 
witnesses  believed  on  Him,  but  yet  others  were  so  impregnated  by  the  belief 
fostered  by  the  Pharisees  and  rabbis  ascribing  His  power  to  Beelzebub,  that  they 
hastened  to  Jenisalem  and  gave  their  report  of  the  miracle  with  malicious  com- 
ments and  falsification.  But  the  rabbis  were  frightened  at  the  effect  and  the  San- 
hedrim was  hastily  called  together  to  take  counsel  and  decide  what  should  be  done. 
Said  they,  "What  do  we?  for  this  man  doeth  many  miracles.  If  we  let  Him 
thus  alone,  all  men  will  believe  on  Him,  and  the  Romans  shall  come  and  take 
away  both  our  place  and  nation."  Here  was  the  secret  of  their  malice  openly 
confessed.  To  save  them  from  loss  of  power  they  must  brand  Christ  with  their 
o£cial  condemnation.     But  an  effort  to  do  this  without  formal  trial   aroused  the 


390  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

opposition  of  such  honest  members  of  the  assembly  as  Nicodemus,  and  there  was 
a  prospect  of  the  council  breaking  up  without  positive  action,  when  Caiaphas,  the 
Sadducean  high-priest,  arose  with  a  proposition  that  quieted  the  opposition.  Said 
he,  "Ye  know  nothing  at  all,  nor  consider  that  it  is  expedient  for  us  that  one 
should  die  for  the  people,  and  that  the  whole  nation  perish  not,"  or  to  para- 
phrase, "Do  5'ou  not  perceive  that  the  whole  nation  is  in  peril  because  of  the 
miracles  of  this  Nazarene  ?  The  people  are  already  wild  with  excitement,  and  if 
He  be  not  speedily  arrested,  in  their  worshipful  enthusiasm  they  will  proclaim 
Him  king  and  then  Rome  will  set  upon  and  oppress  or  destroy  us.  Therefore  I 
say,  whether  He  be  innocent  or  guilty  it  is  infinitely  better  that  we  condemn  Him 
to  death  than  that  we  take  the  risk  of  being  ourselves  ruined."  "  And  from  that 
day  forth  they  took  counsel  together  for  to  put  Him  to  death." 

Jesus  Becomes  a  Fugitive. 

Jesus  avoided  His  enemies  by  repairing  to  a  city  called  Ephraim,  which  was 
on  the  edge  of  the  wilderness  northeast  of  Jerusalem,  but  the  identical  location  is 
not  known.  Here  He  abode  as  a  fugitive  for  a  short  while,  and  then  again  crossed 
the  Jordan  into  Perea,  where  the  people  were  less  hostile  to  Him,  and  where  He 
must  have  had  a  great  many  friends,  because  He  was  not  only  followed  by  crowds, 
but  was  suffered  to  preach  to  the  people,  who  came  to  hear  Him  in  vast  assem- 
blages. But  though  Perea  was  regarded  as  a  heathen  province,  its  population 
was  about  one-half  Jewish,  over  whom  the  rabbis  exerted  a  controlling  influence, 
as  they  did  in  Galilee  and  Judea.  These  were  as  bigoted  and  hypocritical  as 
those  in  other  parts  of  Palestine,  and  held  the  Sabbatical  laws  in  the  same  rigid 
estimation.  As  Jesus  had  small  regard  for  the  proscriptions,  exactions  and 
unreasonable  requirements  of  these  oppressive  laws,  which  laid  the  people  under 
fanatical  persecutions,  it  is  not  a  matter  for  surprise  that  since  He  found  all  times 
and  all  occasions  proper  for  the  exercise  of  His  divine  functions,  He  should  fall 
under  the  condemnation  of  the  Jews  of  Perea  for  deeds  of  mercy  on  the  Sabbath. 

Oh,  Wondrous  Healer  I 

As  Jesus  was  preaching  in  one  of  the  Pcrean  synagogues  on  the  Sabbath 
da5^  His  attention  was  attracted  to  a  poor  woman,  with  distorted  body,  as  she 
stood  behind  a  partition  of  open  work  which  separated  the  male  from  the  female 
members  of  the  audience.  She  had  hobbled  into  this  place  of  worship,  carrying 
with  her  so  great  a  weight  of  infirmity  that  her  head  was  almost  at  a  right  angle 
with  her  hips.  From  this  position  she  could  not  rise,  for  a  rheumatic  affection  of 
eighteen  years  had  drawn  the  muscles  with  such  rigidity  that  they  appeared 
ossified. 

If  you  could  call  a  convention  of  all  the  surgeons  of  all  the  centuries  their 
combined  .skill  could   not  cure  that    body  so  drawn  out  of  shape.      Perhaps  they 


•FROM    MANGKR   TO   THRONE.  391 

might  stop  it  from  getting  any  worse,  perhaps  they  might  contrive  braces  by  which 
she  might  be  made  more  comfortable,  but  it  was,  humanly  speaking,  incurable. 
Yet  this  divine  surgeon  called  out  to  her,  "Woman,  thou  art  loosed  from  thine 
infirmities,"  and  then  put  both  His  hands  on  her,  and  from  that  doubled-up 
position  she  began  to  rise,  and  then  the  empurpled  face  began  to  take  on  a 
healthior  hue,  and  the  muscles  began  to  relax  from  their  rigidity,  and  the  spinal 
column  began  to  adjust  itself,  and  the  cords  of  the  neck  began  to  be  more  supple, 
and  the  eyes  that  could  only  see  the  ground  before,  now  looked  up  into  the  face  of 
Christ  with  gratitude,  and  up  toward  the  heavens  in  transport.  Straight  !  After 
eighteen  weary  and  exhaustive  years,  straight  !  the  poise,  the  gracefulness,  the 
beauty  of  healthy  womanhood  reinstated. 

Such  a  cure,  wrought  by  word  and  touch,  ought  to  have  excited  not  only 
irrepressible  thanks  of  gratitude  in  the  woman,  but  also  reverential  admiration  in 
all  who  were  witnesses  of  the  deed,  and  to  have  filled  that  synagogue  with  wor- 
shipful believers  ;  but  alas,  for  the  chilling  indifiference  to  Godly  manifestations 
which  the  Pharisees  felt  ;  instead  of  the  whole  congregation  giving  voice  to  praise, 
the  rabbi,  who  was  priest  of  the  synagogue,  arose  to  give  utterance  to  protest. 
With  words  betraying  his  anger  he  silenced  the  woman's  offerings  of  thankful- 
ness, and  read  to  her  and  the  audience  a  lecture  on  the  immorality  of  doing  good, 
short  of  saving  life,  on  the  Sabbath  day.  Said  he,  "There  are  six  days  in  the 
week  in  which  it  is  lawful  that  men  may  work,  a  fact  which  this  Healer  either 
does  not  remember  or  ignores.  If  you  must  seek  His  aid,  see  that  you  do  it  on 
one  of  the  secular  days,  and  do  not  tempt  Him  ,  or  give  Him  any  excuse  for 
violating  the  holy  Sabbath." 

It  was  not  often  that  Jesus  became  angry  ;  His  nature  was  all  humility  as  it 
was  all  merciful,  but  He  could  not  repress  His  indignation  at  this  canting  hypo- 
crite and  fanatic,  who  while  assuming  to  be  a  religious  teacher  was  in  fact 
delinquent  in  the  first  principles  of  humanity.  So  he  answered  the  rabbi  by 
saying  :  ' '  Thou  hypocrite,  doth  not  each  one  of  you  on  the  Sabbath  loose  his  ox 
or  his  ass  from  the  stall,  and  lead  him  away  to  water  ?  And  ought  not  this  woman, 
being  a  daughter  of  Abraham,  whom  Satan  hath  bound,  lo,  the.se  eighteen  years, 
be  loosed  from  this  bond  on  the  Sabbath  ?  ' ' 

And  when  He  had  said  these  things,  all  His  adversaries  were  ashamed  ; 
and  all  the  people  rejoiced  for  the  glorious  things  that  were  done  by  Him." 


E:wiLk.E^Ek.:r^kjfkikir^r^f^fkrkfkfk 


'fe:kri^rkFy^ikri>JM^mj^iymyDn:i 


CHAPTER  XXVr. 

PARABLK  OF  THE  GREAT  SUPPER. 

TESUS  left  Jerusalem  about  the  close  of  the  Feast  of  Dedication,  or  shortly 
before  the  beginning  of  the  year,  and  His  raising  of  Lazarus  occurred 
certainly  within  a  few  weeks  thereafter.  Turning  therefore  again  into 
Perea,  His  ministry  in  that  province  continued  for  nearlj^  if  not  quite, 
three  months,  or  until  the  Feast  of  the  Passover,  celebrated  in  the  month  Nisan, 
corresponding  with  March- April.  The  Jewish  method  of  calculating  time  was  so 
different  from  our  own,  and  withal  so  difficult  to  determine  from  the  data  available 
that  the  period  of  the  celebration  of  the  festivals  can  only  be  approximated.  The 
Hebrew  months  were  about  twenty-nine  days  in  length,  corresponding  to  a  luna- 
tion, so  that  the  cycle  of  religious  feasts  commencing  with  the  Passover,  as  Smith 
says,  depended  not  simply  on  the  month  but  on  the  moon.  The  usual  number  of 
months  in  a  3^ear  was  twelve,  but  as  the  year  was  also  calculated  by  the  seasons, 
another  month  was  added  every  third  year,  so  that  some  years  had  thirteen 
months  ;  consequently  the  Passover  feast,  always  occurring  during  the  full  moon, 
fell  on  different  dates  between  the  middle  of  March  and  the  middle  of  April. 
But  though  Jesus  remained  in  Perea  only  a  short  while,  within  this  period 
are  compressed  many  of  His  most  remarkable  miracles,  and  during  which  He 
delivered  His  most  impressive  and  beautiful  parables.  How  extensive  was  His 
circuit  in  Perea  we  know  not,  but  it  was  probably  a  large  one,  judging  by  His 
works  and  the  extent  of  His  teaching  after  turning  His  footsteps  towards  Jerusa- 
lem to  attend  the  Passover.  Luke  saj^s  He  went  through  the  cities  and  villages  of 
Perea,  and  was  everywhere  attended  by  large  crowds,  who  received  His  teachings 
with  much  favor,  and  many  believed  on  Him.  So  popular  had  He  become  that 
the  Pharisees,  being  unable  to  withstand  His  growing  fame,  thought  to  frighten 
Him  out  of  the  country,  and  hence  a  party  of  them  came  to  Him  saying  :  "  Get 
Thee  out  and  depart  hence  ;  for  Herod  will  kill  Thee. ' '  But  instead  of  exciting 
His  fears,  Jesus  turned  to  them  and  said,  "  Go  ye  and  tell  that  fox,  behold  I  cast 
out  devils,  and  I  do  cures  to-day  and  to-morrow,  and  the  third  day  I  shall  be 
perfected."  Or  in  other  words:  "Herod  is  a  crafty  fox,  and  is  jealous  of  the 
favor  in  which  I  am  held  ;  he  is  in  great  anxiety  about  His  throne,  and  would  no 
doubt  kill  Me  if  he  could  ;  but  go  back  to  Jerusalem  and  tell  him  that  since  it  is 
given  Me  to  cast  out  devils,  I  have  the  power  to  cast  him  out  also,  to  circumvent 
any  of  his  designs,  for  until  the  time  of  My  offering  up  is  at  hand,  no  man  may 
either  bind  or  kill  Me." 

(392) 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE.  393 

The  report  of  Herod's  purpose  seems  to  have  stirred  in  Jesus  a  reflective 
mood,  and,  thinking  of  the  mercurial  and  vengeful  disposition  of  His  race,  and 
of  the  Holy  City  in  which  so  many  crimes  in  the  name  of  religion  had  been  per- 
petrated, and  of  His  own  sacrifice  which  was  now  near  at  hand,  He  lifted  up  His 
voice  in  a  spirit  of  lamentation  :  "  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  thou  that  killest  the 
prophets,  and  stonest  them  which  are  sent  unto  thee  ;  how  often  would  I  have 
gathered  thy  children  together,  even  as  a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her 
wings,  and  ye  would  not !  Behold  your  house  is  left  unto  you  desolate  ;  and  verily 
I  say  unto  you,  Ye  shall  not  see  Me  until  the  time  come  when  ye  shall  say, 
'  Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.'  " 

The  Dropsical  Patient. 

So  popular  was  Jesus  in  Perea  that  many  Pharisees  even  courted  His  favor 
and  showed  Him  many  social  attentions.  One  of  these,  who  was  a  chief,  or 
possibly  a  rabbi,  invited  a  number  of  friends  to  meet  Jesus  at  a  dinner  given 
at  the  Pharisee's  house  on  a  Sabbath,  with  half-sinister  and  half-friendly  inten- 
tion, no  doubt  to  watch  Him  in  social  intercourse  with  the  hope  of  discovering  an 
act  which  might  be  interpreted  to  the  people  as  an  offence,  and  failing  in  this  to 
leave  the  impression  that  they  were  favorable  to  His  purposes  and  commended  His 
teaching.  The  company  were  assembled,  but  had  not  yet  lain  down  to  the  meal, 
when  a  man  seriously  ill  of  dropsy  entered,  not  with  the  boldness  of  an  invited 
guest,  but  with  an  abject  appearance  indicating  his  anxiety  to  see  Jesus  and  to 
receive  such  help  as  doctors  had  been  unable  to  give  him.  There  he  stood  just 
within  the  threshold,  in  cowering  attitude,  apparently  afraid  to  speak  lest  speech 
should  emphasize  his  presence  and  cause  the  master  of  the  house  to  eject  him. 
But  his  bloated  features,  repulsive  enough  to  have  excused  a  postponement  of  the 
meal,  were  quickly  noticed  by  Jesus,  who,  understanding  the  formalism  and  rigid 
observance  of  the  Sabbath  by  those  who  surrounded  Him,  anticipated  the  objec- 
tions which  they  would  make  to  a  deed  of  mercy  performed  on  that  day  by  asking 
the  guests  this  question  :  "Is  it  lawful  to  heal  on  the  Sabbath  day  ?  "  But  they 
refused  to  answer  because  they  had  heard  Him  reproach  the  irJuunanitj'  of  the 
rabbi  who  condemned  the  healing  of  the  rheumatic  woman.  Finding  that  the 
guests  would  not  raise  a  contention  over  such  an  act  of  mercy  He  cured  the  man, 
and  then  again  turned  to  the  company  to  ask  :  "  Which  of  you  shall  have  an  ass  or 
an  ox  fallen  into  a  pit,  and  will  not  straightway  pull  him  out  on  the  Sabbath  day  ?  " 
But  they  saw  the  application  of  the  inquiry,  and  held  their  peace. 

The  Invited  Guests  Send  Their  "  Regrets," 

As  explained  in  a  previous  chapter,  the  couches  on  which  the  guests  reclined 
at  a  Jewish  feast  were  arranged  on  three  sides  of  a  square,  the  open  side  being 


394  FROM    MANGIvR    TO   THRONE. 

left  for  the  servants  to  pass  in  and  out  when  serving  the  dinners.  The  arrange- 
ment was  also  made  so  that  the  guests  reclined  according  to  their  rank,  the 
right  hand  corner  being  the  place  of  chief  honor,  and  the  left  end  of  the  table- 
couch,  the  lowest  in  degree  of  dignity.  This  manner  of  disposal  was  necessary^ 
because,  in  reclining,  the  head  of  each  guest  practically  reposed  on  the  bosom  of 
the  one  directly  above  him,  and  as  rank  was  critically  observed,  it  would  be  an 
unpardonable  offence  not  to  make  the  proper  distinctions,  so  as  to  avoid  the  placing 
of  one  of  low  rank  next  to  one  of  high  position.  Thus  the  chief  place  of  honor 
at  the  table  was  always  anxiously  sought,  while  each  guest  strove  to  get  a  position 
as  high  as  possible.  Christ  seized  upon  this  custom,  which  betrayed  much 
unseemly  vanity,  to  deliver  one  of  His  greatest-  parables.  He  introduced  His 
illustrations  by  some  preliminary  instructions  as  to  the  proper  rules  to  be  observed 
by  guests  at  a  wedding  feast,  admonishing  them  not  to  crowd  in  and  seize  high 
places  lest  there  should  be  men  of  higher  rank  present,  whom,  not  to  offend,  the 
host  will  require  you,  much  to  your  embarrassment,  to  take  a  lower  place.  But 
upon  entering,  the  courteous  man  will  seat  himself  at  the  least  place  of  honor, 
for  if  there  be  others  present  who  are  not  so  honorable,  these  will  be  required  by 
the  host  to  move  down,  to  give  place  to  those  who  deserve  a  higher  seat.  And 
this  deference  to  our  superiors  and  courtesy  to  our  hosts  should  apply  also  to  our 
genera]  conduct,  and  especially  our  attitude  towards  God,  for  "he  who  exalteth 
himself  before  either  God  or  man,  shall  be  humbled,  and  he  whohumbleth  himself 
shall  be  exalted."  Another  custom  which,  before  the  time  of  Jesus,  was  peculiar 
to  the  Jews,  was  that  of  inviting  the  poor  classes  to  feasts  prepared  from  conse- 
crated offerings  left  over  after  the  altar  sacrifices,  but  with  the  growth  of  castes 
and  overweening  pride,  this  kindly  charity  had  fallen  into  disfavor,  because  the 
rabbis  were  so  haughty  and  supercilious  that  the  touch  of  the  poor  was  to  them 
a  defilement.  To  rebuke  the  Pharisees  and  rabbis  for  their  ambitions,  ostentation 
and  pride  of  self,  Jesus  therefore  gave  to  them  this  parable. 

Then  said  He,  "  When  thou  makest  a  dinner  or  supper,  call  not  thy  friends, 
nor  thy  brethren,  neither  thy  kinsmen,  nor  thy  rich  neighbors,  lest  they  also  bid 
thee  [return  the  invitation]  again,  and  a  recompense  be  made  thee.  But  when 
thou  makest  a  feast  call  the  poor,  the  maimed,  the  lame,  the  blind,  and  thou  shalt 
be  blessed  ;  for  they  cannot  recompense  thee  ;  for  thou  shalt  be  recompensed  at 
the  resurrection  of  the  just." 

One  of  the  company,  who  sat  at  meat  with  Him,  comprehending  the  words 
of  Christ,  and  evidently  believing  on  Him,  said,  in  praise  of , the  illustration, 
"  Blessed  is  h'fe  that  shall  eat  bread  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  But  who  shall 
receive  this  blessing  ?  Not  they  who  pander  to  the  rich,  or  who  hold  themselves 
in  exclusiveness  with  those  who  are  highly  favored,  nor  those  who  oppress  the 
poor,  or  have  no  sympathy  for  the  lowly  and  the  suffering.     For  none  of  these 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  395 

are  heavenly  gifts  reserved,  but  for  those  who  invite  the  poor  and  unfortunate, 
and  with  them  share  the  blessings  that  have. been  given  them,  and  who  esteem 
their  fellow-men  to  be  not  only  of  one  race  but  of  all  races,  nor  of  a  single  tribe 
or  class,  but  those  of  all  tribes,  clans  and  classes,  for  the  Kingdom  of  God  is  not 
for  one  people,  but  for  the  Gentile  quite  as  much  as  for  the  Jew.  And  this  great 
truth  Jesus  accentuated  by  saying  : 

Christ's  Invitation  to  Supper. 

A  certain  man  prepared  a  great  feast  and  sent  out  many  invitations  to  friends 
who  were  rich,  or  influential,  or  otherwise  favored,  thinking  that  he  would  have 
a  large  and  joyful  company.  When  the  supper  was  made  ready  he  sent  out  his 
servants,  as  was  the  custom  in  Israel,  to  inform  those  who  had  been  invited  that 
their  presence  was  now  expected,  for  the  meats  were  read}'  to  be  served.  The 
host  waited  for  some  time  the  arrival  of  his  friends,  but  after  a  great  while  of 
nervous  expectancy  and  disappointment  at  their  delay,  he  saw  his  servant  return- 
ing, and  he  went  eagerly  to  meet  him  and  learn  why  the  guests  were  so  long  in 
arriving.  When  a  dinner  is  prepared  it  is  a  most  provoking  thing  to  have  it  kept 
unserved  until  the  soup  is  cold,  and  the  meats  are  overdone,  and  the  vegetables 
become  dr>'  and  ill-savored.  And  when  this  is  due  to  the  late  arrival  of  those 
invited,  there  are  few  hosts  who  can  feel  jubilant.  And  this  certain  man  no  doubt 
felt  worried  and  angered,  so  he  eagerly  inquired  of  his  servant  the  cause  of  the 
delay.  "Why,"  answered  the  servant,  "everyone  that  I  have  asked  has  had 
some  excuse  to  make.  Though  none  of  them  sent  their  regrets  upon  receipt  of 
the  invitation,  yet  they  all  now  find  it  inconvenient  to  attend,  and  beg  to  be 
excused.  One  man  says  he  has  just  bought  five  yoke  of  oxen  and  must  try  them 
to  see  if  they  are  well  broken  :  another  tells  me  that  he  has  purchased  a  piece  of 
ground  and  must  now  go  out  and  examine  it :  and  yet  another  says  he  has  married 
a  wife  and  must  spend  the  first  days  of  the  honey-moon  at  home.  And  so  all 
alike  had  some  excuse  to  make,  so  that  none  of  those  invited  will  come." 

Receiving  such  a  report,  the  Lord  of  the  feast  was  very  angr>',  as  he  had  a 
right  to  be.  But  something  must  be  done.  There  are  large  ovens  full  of  meat, 
and  vessels  full  of  vegetables,  and  baskets  laden  with  fruits,  all  ready  for  serving. 
It  would  be  sinful  to  see  all  these  things  spoil,  so  if  friends  refuse  to  accept  the 
hospitality  extended,  others  must  be  brought  in  who  will  appreciate  such  good 
things  as  have  been  provided.  So  the  man  said  to  his  servant :  "Go  out  quickly 
into  the  streets  and  lanes  of  the  city,  and  bring  in  hither  the  poor,  and  the 
maimed,  and  the  halt,  and  the  blind  ;  seek  out  every  hungry  soul,  give  an  invi- 
tation to  every  person,  and  don't  overlook  the  children,  the  coatless,  the  shoeless, 
the  poor  little  bodies  that  have  been  indifferently  fed  ever  since  they  were  born, 
for  this  shall  now  be  a  feast  for  the  unfortunate."     And  the  servant  went  out  as 


396  FROM    MANGER   TO    THRONE. 

lie  was  bidden  and  brought  in  a  large  crowd  of  half-starved  and  infirm  humanity, 
but  there  was  still  room  for  many  more.  So  he  was  bidden  to  go  again,  and  not 
to  confine  his  search  to  the  streets  and  alleys,  but  to  look  also  along  the  highways 
and  hedges,  among  the  hovels,  down  in  the  cellars  where  poverty  huddles,  and 
out  among  the  shackly  tenements  where  starvation  holds  revel  with  disease  and 
pollution  and  crime.  Bid  all  that  you  find  in  ever>'  dark  place  of  famine  to  come, 
and  those  who  cannot  walk  bring  here  in  a  conveyance  of  some  kind.  See  to  it 
that  every  poor  person  is  brought  to  the  feast,  for  none  whom  I  first  invited  shall 
now  share  my  bounty  or  receive  my  hospitality  ;  all  shall  be  given  to  those  who 
deserve  it. 

By  means  thus  wisely  taken  the  man's  house  was  filled  with  guests,  and  he 
had  a  four-fold  happiness  in  seeing  the  hungr}^  mouths  filled  and  the  unfor- 
tunates of  everj^  kind  reveling  in  the  joy  of  the  bounteous  feast,  in  which  they 
forgot  their  aflBictions  in  feelings  of  gratitude  for  the  hospitality  of  their  generous 
host. 

By  this  parable  Jesus  exposed  the  prejudices  of  the  Pharisees  and  rabbis, 
whom  He  had  invited  to  His  spiritual  banquet  provided  in  that  new  kingdom, 
but  who  had  refused  to  accept  His  offering,  and  He  thus  tells  His  hearers  that 
since  those  who  were  bound  to  Him  by  racial  ties  had  disregarded  His  offers  of 
mercy  and  reward,  He  now  extended  His  invitation  to  the  poor  of  all  nations, 
those  rejected  by  the  rabbis  for  their  refusal  to  be  bound  by  the  rigid  ceremonials 
and  formalisms  of  the  hierarchy,  but  who  were  more  righteous  in  a  true  observ- 
ance of  the  higher  obligations  imposed  by  God,  a  devotedness  of  heart,  a  love 
and  reverence  and  gratitude  to  God  for  the  blessings  which  He  gives  to  all  nations, 

A  Bleat  from  the  Wilderness. 

The  increased  popularity  of  Jesus  in  Perea  was  evidenced  by  the  numerous 
applications  which  He  had  for  discipleship,  but  He  received  very  few,  and  these 
only  upon  the  condition  that  the}'  were  ready  to  sacrifice  everything,  even  to 
acknowledging  a  willingness  to  lay  down  their  lives  for  His  sake.  To  all  who 
came  expressing  desire  to  be  thus  enrolled.  He  explained  the  implacable  enmity 
to  which  he  was  subject,  and  also  the  persecution  which  all  His  followers  must 
suffer,  thus  discouraging  their  ambition,  but  gladly  received  those  who  were  ready 
to  endure  every  hardship,  and  ever}^  loss,  and  ever>'  punishment,  for  that  reward 
which  He  promised  should  be  theirs  hereafter. 

Being  among  the  outcasts,  or  those  who  had  no  fellowship  with  the  congre- 
gations, Jesus  was  ridiculed  by  the  Pharisees  and  scribes  for  associating  with 
those  whom  they  declared  were  both  ' '  unclean  and  despic'able, ' '  and  for  which 
companionship  they  charged  Him  with  violating  the  law  and  custom  of  all  devout 
Jews.     To  these  complainings  He  made  answer  by  telling  His  critics  again  that 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


397 


His  mission  was  not  to  call  the  righteous  but  sinners  to  repentance  ;  that  if  they 
felt  themselves  to  be  sinless,  how  much  more  ought  they  to  be  desirous  of  reclaim- 
ing those  who  were  yet  in  their  iniquities,  for  God  rejoices  more  over  the  saving 


THic  prodigal's  DEPARTURI':.  — Drawn  liy  ni.la. 

of  sinners  than  at  the  prayers  of  those  who  need  no  repentance.  "  Why,"  said 
Jesus,  "if  you  had  a  hundred  sheep,  and  one  of  them  should  go  astray,  would 
you  not  leave  the  niiK't\-nine  and  seek  the  one  that  was  lost?     And  finding  it, 


398  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

would  you  not  feel  great  joy,  and  make  a  feast  to  jour  friends  to  celebrate  its 
recover}^  ?  Or,  if  a  woman  having  ten  pieces  of  silver  shall  lose  one,  will  she 
not  seek  diligently  and  sweep  every  corner,  and  look  into  every  crack,  until  she 
find  it?  And  in  the  joy  of  having  found  the  lost  piece,  will  she  not  tell  her 
neighbors  and  make  merry  over  her  good  fortune?  Likewise  say  I  unto  you, 
there  is  joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth. " 

The  Story  of  the  Prodigal  Son. 

And  again  Jesus  explained  how  great  was  the  gladness  in  heaven  over  the 
redemption  of  sinners  by  relating  another  parable,  one  of  the  most  exquisite 
illustrations  ever  framed  in  words. 

There  was  a  certain  wealthy  man  who  had  two  sons,  both  grown  to  man- 
hood's estate,  the  younger  of  whom,  having  become  tired  of  parental  depend- 
ence, and  anxious  to  see  something  of  the  world,  came  to  him  one  day  and 
asked  for  his  patrimony,  or  such  share  of  the  estate  as  his  father  was  willing 
to  give  him.  He  was  evidently  an  indulgent  father,  for  he  at  once  made  a 
division  of  his  property,  and  gave  the  younger  son  a  full  third,  and  when  the 
young  man  went  away  with  his  goods  he  took  with  him  his  father's  bless- 
ings, and  perhaps  much  excellent  advice,  and  hearty  wishes  for  his  success  and 
happiness. 

And  thus  the  young  man  went  his  way  well  provided  into  a  far  country  to 
establish  himself.  Having  considerable  wealth  he  soon  made  many  friends  who 
showed  great  attachment  and  desire  to  assist  him  in  spending  it.  Perhaps  having 
little  acquaintance  with  the  ways  of  the  world,  its  allurements,  vices  and  crimes, 
the  young  man  was  easily  influenced  and  he  soon  fell  into  riotous  ways  which 
directly  wasted  his  fortune.  You  have  known  men  toiling  for  twenty,  thirty, 
forty  years  in  commercial  or  mechanical  life,  having  acquired  large  property,  to 
lie  down  and  die,  leaving  a  great  estate  ;  and  in  five  years  the  boys  have  got  all 
through  with  it.  So  this  young  man  and  his  money  soon  parted.  I  do  not  know 
just  how  it  went ;  but  there,  in  the  first  place,  were  his  traveling  expenses.  A 
man  who  had  been  brought  up  as  luxuriously  as  he  evidently  was,  from  the  sur- 
roundings of  that  home,  could  not  lodge  just  anywhere,  nor  be  contented  with 
plain  fare.  He  had  been  used  to  see  things  on  a  large  scale,  and  I  do  not  suppose 
he  always  stopped  to  take  change.  I  suppose  that  sometimes  he  bought  things 
without  any  regard  to  their  cost.  Then,  besides  that,  there  came  in  the  bill  for 
his  personal  apparel  ;  and  a  young  man  who  had  a  third  of  his  father's  property 
in  his  pocket  could  not  afford  to  go  shabbily  dressed  ;  and  so  he  must  have  clothes 
of  the  best  pattern,  and  of  the  finest  material.  Besides  that,  the  young  man  had 
to  meet  the  bill  for  social  entertainment.  He  must  treat,  and  it  must  be  with  the 
costliest  wines  and  the  rarest  viands. 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


399 


Morning  glories  bloom  when  the  sun  is  coming  up,  not  when  the  sun  is 
going  down.  There  is  no  money  left  with  which  to  meet  his  expenses.  Besides 
that,  the  crops 
have  failed,  and 
there  is  a  famine 
in  the  land  ;  and 
at  a  time  when 
affluent  men  are 
straitened  about 
getting  their 
daily  bread, 
what  is  to  be- 
come of  this  poor 
fellow  with  an 
empty  pocket 
and  a  discour- 
aged heart? 
"Oh,"  you  say, 
' '  Let  him  go  to 
work."  He  can- 
not work.  His 
hands,  soft  and 
tender,  will  be 
blistered  with 
hard  work.  Per- 
haps he  comes 
then  to  some 
place  where  he 
can  get  work,  he 
thinks,  adequate 
for  an  educated 
young  man.  He 
conies  to  a  com- 
mercial estab- 
lishment and 
asks  for  work. 
'  *  No, '  *  says  the 

head  man  of  the  business  firm,  "  we  can't  have  you.  Why,  you  are  nothing  but 
a  tramp  of  the  street.  Off  of  our  premises."  Perhaps  he  comes  to  the  office 
of  some  official   of   the   government,  and  seeks  employment  by  which    he   can 


TOMii  ()]■•  j()si:i'ir  Till':  i'.xtriakcii. 


4 

400  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

support  himself.  "No,"  says  that  officer,  "a  man  clad  as  you  are  cannot  find 
any  employment  in  my  office."  What  is  he  to  do  ?  In  a  strange  land.  Money 
all  gone.     No  friends.     Ragged.     Wretched.     Undone. 

Only  a  Swineherd. 

Realizing  his  impoverished  condition  and  inability  to  improve  it  without 
accepting  the  most  menial  position,  he  finally,  after  many  efforts  to  secure 
employment,  obtained  a  place  as  swineherd  to  a  hog- raiser  of  that  countr>'. 
What  a  fall  from  his  former  estate  !  What  a  contrast !  From  being  the  favored 
son  of  a  rich  and  devoted  father,  and  then  the  leader  of  a  wanton  crowd  that 
held  high  revels  in  magnificent  halls,  dressed  in-,  costliest  raiment,  drinking  the 
rarest  wines,  and  dining  amid  splendors  that  are  the  accessories  of  kings,  he  fell, 
fell  until  he  was  nothing  but  a  swineherd.  Money  all  gone,  deserted  by  friends, 
so  hungry  that  gladly  would  he  have  eaten  the  drafi",  the  leavings  of  the  hogs  that 
he  tended  ;  and  no  doubt  he  seized  the  husks  of  the  beans  upon  which  the  swine 
were  fed,  and  chewing  them  to  extract  the  little  sweet  that  was  left,  thought  of 
how  he  formerly  fared  at  his  father's  house,  the  soft  bed  in  which  he  had  slept, 
the  cool  porch  on  which  he  had  rested  in  the  heat  of  the  day,  the  bounteous 
board  at  which  he  had  feasted,  and  mentally  exclaimed  :  ' '  Oh,  could  I  now  but 
feed  with  my  father's  servants,  or  from  the  scraps  that  are  daily  thrown  away 
fi-om  the  table  !" 

Dejected,  half  famished  and  full  of  remorse,  he  became  at  length  so  agonized 
by  his  reflections  that  he  resolved  to  go  back  to  his  father  and,  making  an 
acknowledgment  of  his  profligacy,  to  ask  that  he  might  hereafter  be  regarded 
as  only  one  of  the  servants,  for  he  felt  his  unworthiness  to  be  called  his  son. 
And  so  "he  arose  and  came  to  his  father. ' '  He  expected  a  chilling  reception  ; 
but  when  yet  a  considerable  way  from  the  old  home,  coming  down  the  road, 
dressed  like  a  beggar,  begrimed  with  the  dirt  of  a  long  foot  journey,  and  looking 
like  a  tramp  that  had  no  object  in  life  except  to  appear  miserable,  his  father  saw 
him.  The  eye  of  paternal  affection,  with  its  wondrous  penetration,  discovered 
at  first  glance,  through  the  mask  of  misery  and  severe  impoverishment,  the 
features  of  the  son  who  had  left  months  before  arrayed  in  splendid  raiment. 
And  with  a  glad  shout  the  father  rushed  out  and  down  the  dusty  highway,  and 
into  the  arms  of  his  boy.  What  did  he  care  for  the  tattered  clothes,  and  the 
begrimed  face,  and  the  beggarly  appearance?  "  My  son  !  my  boy  !  "  and  the  tears 
gushed  to  his  eyes  as  he  threw  his  arms  about  his  neck  and  covered  the  dirt  of 
his  cheeks  with  kisses,  and  hid  his  spattered  breast  with  caresses.  ' '  But, ' '  says 
the  prodigal,  "I  am  unworthy  to  be  called  thy  son."  "Never  mind  that," 
answered  the  father,  "it  is  enough  for  me  to  know  that  you  have  returned.  I 
will  hear  your  story  later.     My  joy  is  too  great  to  have  it  disturbed  by  any  tale 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


401 


of  sorrow.  Come  up  to  the  house;"  and  with  his  arms  still  around  him  the 
father  led  his  bo}'  until  they  came  to  the  door,  when  he  shouted  with  joy  to  the 
servants  within,  "  Bring  forth  the  best  robe  and  put  it  on  him,  and  put  a  ring  on 
his  hand,  and  shoes  on  his  feet,  and  bring  hither  the  fatted  calf  and  kill  it ;  and 
let  us  eat  and  be  merry  ;  for  this  my  son  was  dead  and  is  alive  again  ;  he  was 
lost   and    is   found."       And    they  began    to  be   merry. 

The  Great  Feast  of  Rejoicing. 

From  all  the  windows  of  the  old  homestead  bursts  the  minstrelsy.      The 
floor  quakes  with  the  feet  of  the  rustics,  whose  dance   is  always  vigorous  and 


BEANS   USED    FOR   FEEDING   SWINE   IN    rALKSTlNU. 

resounding.  The  neighbors  have  heard  of  the  return  of  the  younger  son  from 
his  wanderings,  and  they  have  gathered  together.  The  house  is  full  of  con- 
gratulators.  I  suppose  the  tables  are  loaded  with  luxuries.  Not  only  the  one 
kind   of    meat  mentioned,    but   its   concomitants. 

The  senior  son  stands  at  the  corner  of  the  house,  a  frigid  phlegmatic.      He 

has  just  come  in  from  the  fields  in  ver>'  substantial  apparel.     Seeing  some  wild 

exhilarations  around  the  old  mansion,  he  asks  of  a  ser\ant  passing  by  with  a 

goat-skin  of  wine  ^n  his  shoulder,  what  all   the   Tuss  is  about.      One  w^  aid  have 

26 


402  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

thought  that,  on  hearing  that  his  younger  brother  had  got  back,  he  would  have 
gone  into  the  house  and  rejoiced,  and  if  he  were  not  conscientiously  opposed  to 
dancing,  that  he  would  have  joined  in  the  Oriental  schottische.  No.  There  he 
stands.  His  brow  lowers.  His  face  darkens.  His  lip  curls  with  contempt.  He 
stamps  the  ground  with  indignation.  He  sees  nothing  at  all  to  attract.  The 
odors  of  the  feast  coming  out  on  the  air  do  not  sharpen  his  appetite.  The  lively 
music  does  not  put  any  spring  into  his  step.  He  is  in  a  terrible  pout.  He 
criticises  the  expense,  the  injustice,  and  the  morals  of  the  entertainment.  The 
father  rushes  out  bareheaded,  and  coaxes  him  to  come  in.  He  will  not  go  in. 
He  scolds  the  father.  He  goes  into  a  pasquinade  against  the  younger  brother, 
and  he  makes  the  most  uncomely  scene.  He  says  :  ' '  Father,  you  put  a  premium 
on  vagabondism.  I  stayed  at  home  and  worked  on  the  farm.  You  never  made  a 
party  for  me  ;  you  didn't  so  much  as  kill  a  kid  ;  that  wouldn't  have  cost  half  as 
tnuch  as  a  calf;  but  this  scapegrace  went  off  in  fine  clothes,  and  he  comes  back 
not  fit  to  be  seen,  and  what  a  time  you  make  over  him  !  He  breaks  your  heart, 
and  you  pay  him  for  it.  That  calf  to  which  we  have  been  giving  extra  feed 
during  all  these  weeks  wouldn't  be  so  fat  and  sleek  if  I  had  known  to  what  use 
you  were  going  to  put  it !  That  vagabond  deserves  to  be  cowhided  instead  of 
banqueted.  Veal  is  too  good  for  him  !  ' '  That  evening,  while  the  younger  son  sat 
telling  his  father  about  his  adventures,  and  asking  about  what  had  occurred  on  the 
place  since  his  departure,  the  senior  brother  goes  to  bed  disgusted,  and  slams  the 
door  after  him.  That  senior  brother  still  lives.  You  can  see  him  any  Sunday, 
any  day  of  the  week. 

The  father  seeing  his  elder  son  so  vindictively  jealous,  explained  why  he  had 
made  the  feast,  by  saying,  "  Son,  thou  art  ever  with  me,  and  all  that  I  have  is 
thine.  It  is  meet  that  we  should  make  merry,  and  be  glad  ;  for  this  thy  brother 
was  dead  and  is  alive  again  ;  was  lost  and  is  found."  Or,  "  It  is  not  that  I  love 
you  any  less  than  your  brother,  but  because  he  was  long  gone  from  me,  and  I 
feared  I  should  never  see  him  again,  that  his  sudden  return  has  given  me  such 
great  joy,  in  which  you  should  participate  ;  for  had  your  brother  died  you  would 
no  doubt  have  greatly  grieved,  and  hence  his  restoration,  when  we  thought  him 
dead,  should  give  you  no  less  gratification." 

And  it  is  this  joy  that  God  feels  when  any  sinner  leaves  off  his  evil  ways  and 
accepts  the  .salvation  which  Jesus  freely  offers,  for  God  is  that  indulgent  and  for- 
giving father  who  awaits  with  extended  arms  to  welcome  back  every  one  whc 
humbles  himself  in  sincere  penitence. 

A  Swindling  Cashier. 

Having  pre.sented  a  parable  evidently  intended  for  the  benefit  of  the  rabbis, 
who  regarded  no  one  as  being  worthy  to  be  saved  except  ritualjconforming  Jews, 


KILLING  THic  FATTi.n  CALK. —Drawn  by  Bida. 


(403' 


404  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

He  turned  to  the  publicans  and  disciples,  who  composed  a  large  part  of  the  con- 
gregation, and  related  to  them  the  parable  of  the  unjust  steward  (Luke  xvi.)- 

From  this  parable  most  writers  shy  off  as  though  it  were  inexplicable.  A 
bad  steward  finding  he  was  going  to  lose  his  position,  during  the  remaining  days 
of  his  staying  busied  himself  in  making  friends  among  the  creditors  of  his  employer 
by  compromising  their  indebtedness,  and  where  a  man  owed  a  hundred  measures 
of  oil  let  him  oflf  by  paying  fifty,  and  the  man  who  owed  a  hundred  measures  of 
wheat  was  let  off  by  paying  eighty.  The  Palestine  lord  commended  the  keenness 
of  the  unjust  steward.  In  uttering  that  parable  Christ  intended  not  to  praise  the 
scoundrelism  of  the  unjust  steward,  but  to  suggest  that  it  would  be  well  if  men 
were  as  keen  and  adroit  in  right  directions  as  this  man  was  keen  and  adroit  in 
wrong  directions.  Christ  saw,  what  we  all  know,  that  if  men  had  as  much 
ingenuity  for  God  as  they  have  for  the  world,  the  evangelization  of  the  round 
earth  would  be  a  brief  work.  He  saw  that  many  of  the  soldiers  of  the  truth 
would  go  into  the  battle  armed  with  blunderbuss  instead  of  keen  rifle.  Do  not 
befog  your  mind  by  dwelling  too  much  on  the  particulars  of  this  parable,  but  take 
its  large  round  totality  of  meaning — alertness  for  the  right,  as  the  unjust  steward 
had  alertness  for  the  wrong.  Disposition  to  take  advantage  of  circumstances  for 
'  religious  purposes,  as  this  man  had  disposition  to  take  advantage  of  circumstances 
for  fraudulent  purposes.  Whether  you  get  good  or  evil  out  of  this  parable  depends 
on  whether  you  are  a  spider  or  a  bee.  If  you  are  a  spider  you  will  draw  out  of 
it  the  poison  of  perplexity  and  unbelief.  If  you  are  a  bee  you  will  extract  from  it 
the  honey  of  truth.  I  do  with  perplexing  passages  of  Scripture  what  I  do  in 
summer  time  with  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  I  go  down  to  the  beach  and  wade  in  and 
get  from  the  mighty  deep  health  and  strength.  I  do  not  wade  in  deep  enough  to 
get  drowned.  What  is  the  use  of  wading  in  until  you  cannot  reach  shore.  Into  this 
Atlantic  Ocean  of  Divine  truth  wade  in  up  to  your  heart,  but  do  not  wade  in  until 

it  is  over  your  head. 

Parable  of  Lazarus  and  Dives. 

In  this  parable  we  are  made  to  stand  in  one  of  the  finest  private  houses  of 
olden  time.  Every  room  is  luxurious.  The  floor,  made  of  stones,  gypsum,  coal 
and  chalk,  pounded  together,  is  hard  and  beautiful.  From  the  roof,  surrounded 
by  a  balustrade,  you  take  in  all  the  beauty  of  the  landscape.  The  porch  is  cool 
and  refreshing,  where  sit  people  who,  having  come  in  to  look  at  the  building,  are 
waiting  for  the  usher.  In  this  place  you  hear  the  crystal  plash  of  the  fountains. 
The  windows,  reaching  to  the  floor,  and  adorned,  are  quiet  places  to  lounge  in, 
and  we  sit  here  listening  to  the  stamp  of  the  blanketed  horses  in  the  princely 
stables.  Venison  and  partridge,  delicate  morsels  of  fatted  calf,  and  honey,  and 
figs,  and  dates,  and  pomegranates,  and  fish  that  only  two  hours  ago  glided  in  the 
lake,  and  bowls  of  sherbet  from   Egypt,   make  up  the  feast,   accompanied  with 


FROM    MANGER   TO  THRONE. 


40t 


riddles,  and  jests  that  evoke  roaring  laughter,  with  occasional  outbursts  of  music, 
in  which  harps  thrum  and  cymbals  clap,  and  shepherd's  pipe  whistles.  What  a 
place  to  sit  in  !  ♦ 

The  lord  of  the  place,  in  dress  that  changes  with  every  whim,  lies  on  a  lounge^ 
stupid  from  over-fed  digestion.     His  linen  is  so  fine,  I  wonder  who  washed  it  and 


TRADITIONAL   HOUSK   OF   THE   RICH    MAN   AS   IT   APPEARS   AT    i... 


who  ironed  it.  His  jewels  the  brightest,  his  purple  the  rarest.  Let  him  lie  per- 
fectly quiet  a  moment  until  we  take  his  photograph.  Here  we  have  it :  "A  cer- 
tain rich  man,  which  was  clothed  in  purple  and  fine  linen  and  fared  sumptuously 
everyday."     How  accurate  the  picture  !     You  can  see  every  plait   in  the  linen 


|o6  ?ROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

and  every  wrinkle  in  the  shirt.  What  more  could  that  man  have  ?  My  lord,  be 
happy  !  After  a  while  he  leans  over  the  balustrade  and  says  to  a  friend  in  shin- 
ing apparel;  ' '  Look  at  that  fellow  lying  down  at  my  gate.  I  wonder  why  the 
porter  allows  him  to  lie  there.  How  disgusting  !  But  our  dogs  will  be  let  out 
of  the  kennel  very  soon  and  will  clear  him  out."  Yes,  they  bound  towards  him. 
' '  Take  hold  of  him  ! ' '  cries  the  rich  man  from  the  balustrade.  The  dogs  go  at 
the  beggar  with  terrible  bark  ;  then  take  lower  growling  ;  then  stop  to  yawn  ; 
and  at  the  coaxing  tone  of  the  poor  wretch,  they  frisk  about  him,  and  put  their 
soft,  healing  tongues  to  his  ulcers,  driving  off  the  flies,  and  relieving  the  insuffer- 
able itch  and  sting  of  wounds  which  could  not  afford  salve  or  bandage.  Lazarus 
has  friends  at  last.  They  will  for  a  while  keep  QfF  the  insults  of  the  street  and 
defend  their  patient.  The  man  is  far  from  friendless  who  has  a  good  dog  to  stand 
by  him.  Dogs  are  often  not  so  mean  as  their  msfsters.  They  will  not  be  allowed 
to  enter  heaven,  but  may  they  not  be  allowed  to  lie  down  at  the  gate  ?  for  John 
says  of  the  door  of  heaven,  "Without  are  dogs."  But  what  is  the  matter  with 
that  beggar?  He  lies  over  now  with  his  face  exposed  to  the  sun.  Lazarus,  get 
up  !  He  responds  not.  Poor  fellow,  he  is  dead.  Two  men  appointed  of  the 
town  come  to  carry  him  out  to  the  fields.  They  dig  a  hole,  drop  him  in,  and 
cover  him  up.  The  people  say,  "  One  more  nuisance  got  rid  of!"  Aha!  that 
is  not  Lazarus  that  they  buried.  It  was  only  his  sores.  Yonder  goes  Lazarus, 
an  angel  on  his  right  hand,  an  angel  on  the  left,  carrying  him  up  the  steep  of 
heaven — talking,  praising,  rejoicing.  Good  old  Abraham  stands  at  the  gate  and 
throws  his  arms  around  the  new-comer.  Now  Lazarus  has  his  own  fine  house, 
and  his  own  robes,  and  his  own  banquet,  and  his  own  chariot,  and  that  poor, 
sickly  carcass  of  his  that  the  overseers  of  the  town  dumped  in  the  potter's  field 
will  come  up  at  the  call  of  the  archangel,  straight,  and  pure,  and  healthy,  cor- 
ruption having  become  incorruption. 

Now  we  will  go  back  a  minute  to  the  fine  Oriental  house  that  we  spoke  of. 
The  lord  of  the  place  has  been  receiving  visitors  to-day  as  the  doorkeeper  intro- 
duced them.  After  a  while  there  is  a  visitor  who  waits  not  for  the  porter  to  open 
the  gate,  or  for  the  gatekeeper  to  introduce  him.  Who  is  it  coming  ?  Stop  him 
there  at  the  door  !  How  dares  he  come  in  unheralded  ?  He  walks  into  the  room, 
and  the  lord  cries,  with  terror-struck  face,  "  This  is  Death.  Away ,  with  him  !  " 
There  is  a  hard  thurrtp  on  the  floor.  Is  it  a  pitcher  which  has  fallen,  or  an  otto- 
man which  has  upset  ?  No.  Dives  has  fallen.  Dives  is  dead  !  The  excitement 
in  town  is  great.  The  grooms  rush  from  the  barn  to  see.  All  the  great  folks  of 
the  neighborhood  who  used  to  sit  at  his  dinners  come  in.  The  grocer  from  whom 
he  got  his  spices,  the  butcher  from  whom  he  got  the  meat',  and  the  clothier  from 
whom  he  got  the  garments,  come  to  find  out  all  about  it. 

The  day  of  burial  has  arrived.     He  is  carried  down  out  of  his  splendid  room 


LAZARUS    AT   THH    DOOR    OK    DIVJCS. 


(407) 


408  FROiM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

and  through  the  porch  into  the  street.  The  undertaker  will  make  a  big  job  of 
it,  for  there  is  plenty  to  pay.  There  will  be  high  eulogies  of  him  pronounced, 
although  Christ  represents  him  as  chiefly  distinguished  for  his  enormous  appetite 
and  his  fine  shirt. 

The  long  procession  moves  on,  amid  the  accustomed  weeping  and  howling 
of  Oriental  obsequies.  The  sepulchre  is  reached.  Six  persons  carrying  the  body 
go  carefully  down  the  steps  leading  to  the  door  of  the  dead.  The  weight  of  the 
body  on  those  ahead  is  heavy,  and  they  hold  back.  The  relics  are  left  in  the 
sepulchre,  and  the  people  return.  But  Dives  does  not  return.  He  who  had  all 
the  wines  he  could  drink  now  asks  for  plainer  beverage.  He  wants  water.  He 
does  not  ask  for  a  cupful,  or  a  teaspoonful,  but  "just  one  drop,"  and  he  cannot 
get  it.  He  looks  up  and  sees  lyazarus,  the  very  man  whom  he  set  his  dogs  on, 
resting  joyfully  in  Abraham's  bosom,  and  he  calls  to  the  Patriarch  and  begs  him 
to  allow  lyazarus  to  put  his  finger  in  water  and  let  him  lick  it  off".  Once  Lazarus 
wanted  just  the  crumbs  from  Dives's  feast ;  now  Dives  wants  just  a  drop  of  water 
from  lyazarus's  banquet.  Poor  as  he  can  be  !  He  has  eaten  the  last  quail's  wing. 
He  has  broken  the  last  rind  of  the  last  pomegranate.  Dives  the  lord  has  become 
Dives  the  pauper.  The  dogs  of  remorse  and  despair  come  not  with  healing 
tongue  to  lick,  but  with  relentless  muzzle  to  tear.  Now  Dives  sits  at  the  gate, 
while  Lazarus,  amid  the  festivities  of  heaven,  fares  sumptuously  every  day. 

The  social  gulf  which  separated  Lazarus  from  Dives  in  this  world  is  not 
nearly  so  great  as  the  spiritual  chasm  which  separates  them  in  eternity,  between 
which  there  is  no  way  of  passage.  And  so  Abraham  replied  to  Dives's  cry  for 
water,  "Remember,  that  thou  in  thy  lifetime  receivedst  thy  good  things,  and 
likewise  Lazarus  evil  things  ;  but  now  he  is  comforted,  and  thou  art  tormented." 

This  was  poor  consolation  for  the  tormented  spirit  of  Dives,  but  it  served  to 
quicken  his  anxiety  for  those  of  his  brothers  yet  living,  who  were  in  imminent 
danger  of  a  like  punishment.  So  he  begged  Abraham  to  send  to  them  and  warn 
them  of  their  peril  ;  but  he  was  answered  :  ' '  They  have  Moses  and  the  pro- 
phets ;  let  them  hear  them,  and  if  these  they  will  not  regard,  neither  would  they 
be  persuaded  from  their  wanton,  luxurious  and  unmerciful  ways  though  warned 
by  one  who  had  risen  from  the  dead." 

Jesus  did  not,  by  this  parable,  condemn  the  acquisition  of  wealth,  but  its 
wrongful  application.  A  man  of  wealth  is  not  necessarily  a  sinner,  otherwise 
there  would  be  no  great  philanthropists  to  spread  gifts  of  colleges,  and  churches, 
and  hospitals  for  the  education,  salvation  and  relief  of  the  poor  ;  but  Jesus  had  in 
mind  the  haughty,  vain  and  self-sufficient  rich,  who,  like  the  Pharisees,  use  their 
wealth  to  oppress  the  less  fortunate,  and  to  make  a  vulgarly  ostentatious  show  of 
their  advantage,  the  pride,  pomp  and  circumstance  which  lead  men  away  from 
God. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

SEPARATION    OF    THE    CHAFF    FROM    THE    WHEAT. 

*^'  OW  hard  and  unyielding  must  have  been  the  nature  that  remained 

^""^^  unmoved  at  the  Lord's  relation  of  the  parable  of  the  prodigal  son, 
1  r  and  how  impenitent  the  soul  that  took  not  to  itself  the  lesson  taught 
^^^  ^  in  that  of  Dives  and  Lazarus.  But  the  rabbis  who  stood  about  Jesus 
heard  both  without  feeling  more  than  the  sting  of  self-condemnation,  and  this 
only  excited  their  anger  because  of  such  public  revealment  of  their  faults.  But 
so  truthful  and  forceful  were  the  illustrations  which  Christ  gave  that,  realizing 
their  inability  to  raise  popular  objection,  the  rabbis  seemed  to  have  retired  in 
abashment  for  a  time,  leaving  Jesus  alone  with  His  disciples.  The  occasion  was 
now  utilized  by  Christ  to  further  instruct  His  followers,  and  to  forewarn  them 
against  the  divisions,  disputes  and  persecutions,  which  would  assail  them  in  their 
ministries.  Said  He,  "Offences  must  need  come;  misrepresentations  in  every 
farm  will  have  to  be  met,  and  under  them  many  who  even  now  feel  strong  in 
righteousness  will  succumb  and  yield  to  the  influences  of  those  who  oppose  Me. 
But  these  evil  instigators  will  not  go  unpunished  ;  yea,  indeed,  it  were  better  for 
them  had  they  never  been  born,  or  that  a  millstone  were  bound  about  their  necks 
and  they  cast  into  the  sea  ;  for  no  iniquity  is  so  great  as  that  of  men  who  not  only 
reject  the  gospel  themselves,  but  who  strive  by  every  means  of  prejudice,  bigotry 
and  contamination  to  induce  those  seeking  salvation  to  abandon  their  holy  ambi- 
tions and  return  to  their  sins.  To  prevent  these  insidious  enemies  from  sowing 
seeds  of  discord  and  worldliness  in  the  hearts  of  those  who  have  a  desire  to  live 
in  a  true  spirit  of  righteousness,  and  to  spread  the  gospel  of  truth  throughout  the 
world,  recourse  to  unwearying  prayer  is  necessary.  My  followers  who  would 
remain  steadfast  in  their  devout  purpose  must  humble  their  pride  and  cultivate  a 
forgiving  disposition  ;  they  must  be  patient  under  all  adversity  and  hold  them- 
selves ready  to  pardon  all  offences,  when  the  offenders  seek  repentance.  How- 
ever often  you  may  be  wronged,  yet  for  My  sake  forgive  freely  whenever  the 
spirit  of  contrition  moves  the  guilty  to  seek  your  favor,  for  My  kingdom  shall  be 
founded  upon  love,  upon  humility,  upon  limitless  forgiveness,  upon  charity  and 
upon  all  those  holy  attributes  which  distinguish  the  righteous  man  and  call  forth 
the  approval  of  God." 

This  discourse  which  Jesus  gave  to  His  disciples  aroused  their  misgivings, 
for  not  having    yet    fully  comprehended  the  spiritual  condition  necessary  to  & 

U09) 


4IO  FROM   MANGER   TO  THRONE. 

thorough  conception  of  their  apostolic  duties,  and  not  being  wholly  free  from  the 
bonds  of  the  law  as  interpreted  to  them  by  the  rabbis,  they  could  not  at  once 
accept  the  rightfulness  of  returning  good  for  evil,  and  doubted  the  strength  of 
their  faith  to  maintain  a  spirit  of  forgiving  meekness  under  the  infliction  of 
wrong.  But  while  thus  feeling  their  own  weakness,  they  were  all  the  more 
anxious  for  a  re- enforcement  of  their  ambitions  to  become  faithful  servants,  and 
believing  that  it  might  be  given  them  by  Jesus,  they  showed  their  desire  and 
humbleness  by  praying  Him  to  increase  their  faith. 

To  their  request  Jesus  replied  by  assuring  them  that  true  faith  was  as  yet 
but  a  germ  in  their  hearts,  which  would  develop  only  by  persistency  of  prayer  ; 
"  for,"  said  He,  "  if  you  had  even  the  smallest  measure  of  faith,  you  would  find 
no  difficulty  in  doing  all  that  I  have  commanded,' and  a  great  deal  more  ;  things 
which  appear  to  be  impossible  to  you  now,  would  be  easy  to  accomplish  if  you 
had  that  spiritual  strength  which  cometh  from  belief.  If  you  had  proper  faith 
and  should  say  to  this  sycamore  tree,  '  Be  thou  plucked  up  by  the  roots  and 
planted  in  the  sea,'  it  would  obey  you." 

But  with  development  of  their  faith  and  the  increasing  power  which  it  gave 
them,  Jesus  particularly  admonished  them  against  permitting  pride  to  supersede 
their  humility,  since  their  advancement  in  spiritual  benefits  could  only  be  made 
by  constant  dependence  in  Him,  and  to  impress  this  fact  more  firmly  upon  them 
He  defined  the  relation  which  a  faithful  servant  should  sustain  towards  his 
master,  accounting  a  fulfillment  of  all  the  servant's  duties  as  unworthy  to  be 
specially  praised,  because  he  had  rendered  only  what  had  been  required  of  him, 
"And,"  said  Jesus,  "you  are  the  good  servants  who  should  perform  your  duties 
while  on  this  earth,  looking  to  God  for  reward  ;  nor  should  you  regard  only  the 
reward,  but  perform  your  services  through  a  spirit  of  love  for  Me  and  for  the 
satisfaction  that  a  conscientious  discharge  of  your  obligations  will  afford,  since 
God  deserves  of  you  more  than  you  can  give. ' ' 

The  Empire  of  the  Soul. 

It  was  a  happy  relief  to  Jesus  to  escape  even  for  a  short  while  the  company 
of  such  malevolent  spirits  as  the  Pharisees  and  rabbis,  but  He  was  not  permitted 
to  enjoy  this  peaceful  riddance  long,  for  very  so5n  they  found  Him  again  and 
renewed  their  molestations  and  angry  accusings.  Said  one  of  these,  one  day  to 
Him,  "  Master,  if  Thou  be  the  Messiah,  as  You  claim,  will  You  tell  us  when  the 
kingdom  of  God  will  come.  It  has  been  promised  for  a  long  while,  and  You 
have  also  been  many  years  on  the  earth,  and  yet  we  perceive  no  signs  of  the 
fulfillment  of  our  hopes." 

And  then  Jesus  answered,  "Already  have  I  told  you,  but  you  are  so  spirit- 
ually blind,  so  prejudiced,  so  bigoted,  and  so  firmly  attached  to  the  things  of  this 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  411 

world  that  you  could  not  understand  me.  Everything  that  you  see  is  colored  by 
your  worldly  ambitions  ;  your  expectations  have  been  of  a  political  Messiah ;  one 
who  would  come  as  a  god  of  war  to  fight  the  enemies  of  Judah,  and  over- 
whelming them  with  the  sword  of  slaughter,  establish  a  Jewish  kingdom  and 
make  of  it  the  glor>-  of  all  the  world.  But  instead  of  a  god  of  war,  I  am  come 
as  the  God  of  peace,  to  set  up  a  kingdom  in  the  hearts  of  men,  to  establish  a 
universal  brotherhood,  to  destroy  sin  and  its  hideous  consequences,  and  to 
redeem  the  world  by  bringing  all  people  and  all  nations  to  God.  Therefore  say 
I,  Lo,  here  is  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  it  is  in  your  midst,  for  I  am  the  Messiah,  and 
wherever  I  am,  there  also  is  that  kingdom." 

The  Pharisees  were  troubled  by  the  answer  which  had  thus  been  given 
them,  for  having  seen  many  of  the  wonderful  works  performed  by  Jesus  and 
listened  to  the  marvelous  wisdom  of  His  teachings,  they  seem  to  have  begun  to 
slightly  appreciate  the  importance  of  preparing  themselves  for  entering  the 
kingdom  which  He  had  declared.  This  semi-belief,  however,  in.  the  possibility 
that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  was  soon  destroyed  by  the  hostile  rabbis,  who  did 
not  cease  their  scoffings,  and  to  ridicule  with  all  manner  of  revilings.  When, 
therefore,  Jesus  was  again  alone  for  a  short  while  with  His  disciples.  He  resumed 
the  subject  of  His  answer  to  the  Pharisees,  saying  :  "The  kingdom  of  God  is 
indeed  truly  come,  but  before  its  final  triumph  the  subjects  of  that  kingdom  will 
have  passed  through  many  tribulations.  Men  will  strive  to  show  you  signs  of  its 
appearing,  and  some  will  say,  '  Lo,  it  is  here  ! '  and  others,  '  Eo,  it  is  there  ! ' 
or,  '  See  here, '  or  '  See  there  ! '  but  regard  none  of  these,  for  they  are  intended 
to  catch  the  credulous  and  to  lure  them  to  destruction.  When  the  Son  of  Man 
shall  come  for  judgment  it  will  be  as  the  lightning  for  suddenness.  As  it  was  in 
the  days  of  Noah,  when  the  floods  came  to  swallow  up  the  world  after  men  had 
refused  to  repent,  and  as  it  was  when  Sodom  was  consumed  for  its  offences,  so 
shall  it  be  again  when  the  Son  of  Man  reveals  His  power.  In  that  day  those  who 
have  not  prepared  themselves,  as  did  Noah  and  Lot,  by  prayer  and  repentance, 
will  be  destroyed  ;  nor  time  given  in  the  last  moment  of  their  lives  to  seek 
salvation.  As  there  are  good  and  evil  in  every  family,  as  the  righteous  and  the 
sinful  mingle  together  in  their  social  or  business  relations,  there  will  be  a  division 
among  families  and  among  societies,  the  good  being  separated  from  the  bad,  and 
the   evil   delivered   up   for  punishments  while   the   righteous  shall   go  to  their 

reward." 

A  Hard  Judge. 

And  to  emphasize  the  declarations  which  He  had  made,  and  to  illustrate  the 
efl&cacy  of  prayer,  Jesus  gave  to  His  disciples  another  parable:  "There  was," 
said  He,  "  a  certain  judge  who  was  so  impervious  to  moral  principles  that  he 
neither  feared  God  nor  regarded  man.     A  confirmed  pessimist  and  misanthrope, 


412  FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONE. 

who  saw  no  trait  in  human  nature  but  selfishness,  nor  knew  any  motive  transcend- 
ing that  of  self-indulgence  in  carnal  pleasure.  And  in  the  same  city  was  a  widow 
who  came  to  him  asking  for  judgment  against  her  adversary.  With  characteristic 
indifference  to  the  justice  of  her  complaint  he  rudely  dismissed  her.  But  she 
would  not  be  discouraged,  and  was  so  importunate  in  her  request  that  to  escape 
the  worriment  of  her  petitionings  the  judge  said  :  '  Though  I  fear  not  God,  nor 
regard  men,  yet  because  this  widow  troubleth  me  I  will  avenge  her,  lest  by  her 
continual  coming  she  weary  me. '  ' ' 

Applying  this  parable  to  the  lesson  which  He  sought  to  impress,  Jesus  said, 
' '  And  shall  not  God  avenge  his  own  elect,  which  cry  day  and  night  unto 
Him,  though  he  bear  long  with  them  ?  I  tell  y.ou  that  He  will  avenge  them 
speedily.  Nevertheless,  when  the  Son  of  Man  cometh,  shall  He  find  faith  od 
the  earth?" 

The  application  of  this  parable  does  not  represent  God  in  the  character  of  an 
unjust  judge,  ox  as  wearying  with  the  repetition  of  prayer,  but  is  given  to  show 
that  if  a  man,  unmindful  of  the  rights  of  others  and  thoroughly  conscienceless 
himself  in  everything  that  appeals  to  the  moral  nature  of  man,  can  be  prevailed 
upon  by  persistency  of  importunings  to  do  his  duty,  how  much  more  will  God 
grant  the  prayers  of  those  who  approach  Him  in  humility  and  who  by  their  per- 
sistence in  prayer  reveal  the  earnestness  of  their  faith  ?  The  parable  is  therefore 
an  incentive  to  constant  prayer,  to  a  continual  revealment  of  faith  in  the  mercy 
ot  God  and  the  belief  in  its  ultimate  manifestation  in  behalf  of  the  petitioner. 

Pomposity  and  Humility. 

And  again  being  surrounded  by  bigoted  Pharisees,  who  made  an  ostentatious 
show  of  their  righteousness  by  vaunting  selfishness,  Jesus  turned  to  them  and 
related  another  parable,  of  the  Pharisee  and  the  publican  : 

What  is  the  matter  with  the  Temple  of  Jerusalem  ?  Is  it  on  fire  ?  It  looks 
like  a  mansion  just  kindled  with  flame.  Why,  it  is  the  hour  for  morning  sacrifice, 
and  the  smoke  bursting  through  the  door  and  crevices  of  the  building  wreathes  the 
mountain  top  in  folds  of  smoke  through  which  glitter  the  precious  metals  gathered 
and  burnished  by  royal  magnificence.  I  see  through  the  smoke  two  men  going 
up  the  steps  of  the  building.  They  go  side  by  side,  and  yet  they  have  nothing 
in  common — they  have  no  sympathy  with  each  other.  One  is  a  Pharisee,  erect, 
arrogant,  pompous,  looking  down  with  utter  contempt  upon  the  poor  man  who 
happens  to  be  going  up  beside  him.  The  other  is  a  publican,  who  goes  up  with 
head  bowed,  and  who  seems  to  have  a  world  of  trouble.  Now  the  two  have 
reached  the  main  enclosure,  and  they  are  about  to  begin  worship.  The  Pharisee 
goes  to  the  gate  nearest  the  Holy  of  Holies.  He  feels  that  he  is  fit  to  stand  there. 
He  says  in  substance:   "O  God,  there  are  two  days  in  the  week  when  I  eat 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


413 


absolutely  nothing,  and  I  give  a  great  deal  of  money  to  good  objects,  and  I  am 
one  of  the  best  of  men.  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  common  rabble — certainly 
nothing  to  do  with  that  poor  publican  who  came  up  the  stairs  the  same  time  I 
did."  The  publican  goes  clear  off  to  the  other  side.  He  wants  to  get  as  far  away 
from  that  gate  leading  into  the  Holy  of  Holies  as  possible.    He  does  not  feel  fit  to 


THE  PUBLICAN   AND  THIi   PHARISEE. 

.Stand  there.  The  Bible  says  he  stood  afar  off,  and  then — as  the  people  of  the 
East  to  this  day  do  when  they  have  any  great  trouble,  smiting  themselves — he 
bowed  down,  striking  his  breast,  and  crying  out  :  "God  be  merciful  tome  a 
sinner."  The  incense  that  went  up  from  the  high-priest's  censer  that  morning 
was  not  so  sweet  as  the  publican's  prayer  wafted  into  the  opening  heavens,  while 


414  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

the  exhilarant  prayer  of  the  Pharisee  dies  on  his  contemptuous  Hp  and  rolls  down 
into  his  arrogant  heart.  Now  I  see  them  again  on  the  stairs.  They  are  going 
down  side  b}^  side.  The  Pharisee  cross,  sad,  wretched  ;  the  publican  glad-hearted, 
the  jo)'s  of  heaven  glowing  in  his  cheek  and  flaming  in  his  eye.  "  I  tell  you," 
said  Jesus,  "this  publican's  prayer  was  approved  by  God  rather  than  the  vain- 
glorying  petition  of  the  Pharisee  :  for  every  one  that  exalteth  himself  shall  be 
abased  ;  and  he  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted." 

The  Holy  Bonds  of  Marriage. 

In  the  time  of  Christ  there  were  tw^o  rival  schools,  led  respectively  by  rabbis 
Schammai  and  Hillel,  which  were  in  opposition-,  in  the  construction  of  certain 
Mosaic  laws,  among  which  that  of  divorce  was  a  principal  question,  Hillel  was 
the  father  of  our  modern  free-lovers,  voluptuaries,  those  socialists  in  family 
economy  who  regard  women  as  nothing  more  than  a  creature  for  a  man's  con- 
venience, with  no  rights  above  that  of  a  beast  of  burden  that  receives  only  his 
provender  for  the  service  it  performs,  and  which  may  be  disposed  of  without 
excuse  or  accountability.  Schammai  held  the  reverse  views,  esteeming  woman 
as  much  a  creature  of  God's  love  as  man,  and  hence  that  divorce  was  justified 
only  for  offences  against  chastity,  and  that  such  crimes  w^ere  equally  great  whether 
committed  by  husband  or  wife. 

This  question  of  divorce  having  divided  the  rabbis,  some  of  them  thought 
to  confound  Jesus  by  asking  Him  to  interpret  the  law,  for,  however  He 
might  decide,  one  of  the  schools  must  become  offended  and  He  might  thus 
be  drawn  into  a  bitter  dispute;  therefore  they  asked,  "Is  it  lawful  for  a 
man  to  put  away  his  wife  for  any  cause  ! ' '  The  custom  of  divorcing  wives  for 
any  cause  had  become  so  general  that  the  whole  Jewish  nation  degenerated  int® 
the  grossest  sensualism,  and  love  become  a  synonym  of  carnality,  like  that'^^hich 
degrades  the  Neapolitans  of  to-day,  and  which  Humbert  is  using  all  his  kingly 
prerogatives  to  correct. 

However  serious  the  question,  Jesus  answered  it  with  His  usual  wisdom  and 
fearlessness,  and  by  so  doing  raised  woman  from  her  servile  condition  of  the  time 
to  a  lofty  eminence  of  love  and  purity,  which  she  occupies  to-day.  Said  He, 
Have  you  not  read  that  God  created  man  and  woman  to  be  husband  and  wife,  and 
to  be  help-meets  to  each  other  ;  and  are  you  ignorant  of  the  blessings  which  God 
placed  on  marriage,  and  that  in  instituting  that  sacred  bond  He  ordained  that 
there  should  be  no  relationship  on  earth  so  dear,  so  binding,  so  holy  as  that  of 
man  and  wife  ;  for  is  it  not  written  that  the  woman  shall  leave  all  and  cleave  to 
her  husband,  and  that  he  shall  make  equal  sacrifices  for  the  sake  of  his  wife? 
If  therefore  God  instituted  marriage,  who  shall  set  aside  the  ordinance  at 
pleasure  ?  ' ' 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE,.  415 

"But,"  asked  they  who  questioned  Him,  "did  not  Moses  permit  divorce- 
ments, and  for  no  better  excuse  than  the  wish  of  the  husband?"  "Yes," 
answered  Jesus,  "Moses  gave  laws  permitting  divorce,  but  it  was  not  because 
he  approved  the  dissolution  of  marriage,  but  rather  to  prevent  greater  evils, 
which  had  their  beginning  when  the  race  was  in  bondage.  What  Moses  did, 
iinder  advisement  to  restrict  the  immoralities  of  the  people  which  dishonored 
marriage,  were  acts  which  served  the  purpose  of  temporary  expedients,  and  are 
not  binding  upon  the  race  under  conditions  which  have  since  obtained.  Nor 
could  the  laws  given  by  Moses  contravene  those  established  by  God,  by  whom  we 
are  all  bound. ' ' 

Not  entirely  satisfied  with  the  answer  Jesus  had  made  to  the  Pharisees,  some 
of  the  disciples  requested  Him  to  explain  further  His  objections  to  divorce,  if  it 
were  wrong  to  seek  divorcement  for  any  cause,  or  if  it  were  advisable  to  marry. 
And  He  answered,  "  Whosoever  shall  put  away  his  wife  and  marry  another,  com- 
mitteth  adultery  against  her  ;  and  if  a  woman  shall  put  away  her  husband,  and 
be  married  to  another,  she  committeth  adulter}'.  All  men  cannot  receive  this 
saying,  save  they  to  whom  it  is  given."  In  other  words,  there  are  men,  and 
women  too,  so  untrue  in  their  nature  and  so  deformed  in  disposition  that,  while 
they  cannot  refrain  from  marriage,  yet  marriage  is  an  unnatural  condition  for 
them,  since  congeniality  and  compatibility  are  not  possible,  and  constancy  is  least 
likely  to  follow  from  the  union  of  such  persons.  Recognizing  this,  and  holding 
to  the  highest  law,  "what  therefore  God  hath  joined  together  let  no  man  put 
asunder,"  Jesus  did  not  exhort  all  people  to  marry,  only  such  as  were  qualified 
for  marriage  ;  those  who  regarded  it  as  a  sacred  bond  to  be  dissolved  only  by  God 
Himself,  and  who  would  so  asshnilate  with  the  one  of  their  choice  that  the  two 
lives  thus  united  would  be  indeed  as  one. 

A  more  glorious  teaching  than  this  was  never  given  to  man.  Marriage, 
which  God  established  and  blessed  in  Eden,  and  which  Jesus  defended,  and 
sanctified,  and  glorified  in  disputation  with  the  host  of  sensualists  who  surrounded 
Him,  has  become  by  the  influence  of  His  doctrines  the  holiest  ordinance  that 
beautifies  and  irradiates  the  altars  and  hearthstones  of  the  whole  Christian  world. 
And  by  Christ's  words  also  was  womanhood  emancipated  from  her  servitude  to 
man,  and  enthroned  as  queen  and  joint  ruler  with  her  husband,  and  as  an  equal 
integer  and  factor  in  the  world's  economy,  political,  social  and  domestic. 

Christ  Among  Children. 

The  mothers  who  stood  about  Jesus  and  heard  with  leaping  hearts  of  joy 
His  eloquent  endorsement  of  marriage,  and  His  elevation  of  women  to  the  roya) 
dignity  of  queen  of  the  home,  were  thrilled  with  such  gratitude  that  it  is  nc 
wonder  they  brought  their  little  children  to  receive  His  blessing.     It  had  been  ai> 


4i6  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

immemorial  custom  for  fathers  to  take  their  young  children  to  the  synagogue, 
there  to  receive  blessings  of  the  elders,  and  this  practice  was  now  to  be  hallowed, 
not  by  elder  or  rabbi,  but  by  the  High  Priest  of  the  world,  whose  great  heart 
should  be  the  door  through  which  little  ones  were  to  pass  in  countless  pro- 
cession to  the  end  of  time,  to  swell  angel  bands  that  serenade  the  Eord  with 
hallelujahs  and  doxologies.  It  was  not  the  first  time  that  Jesus  had  showed 
His  love  for  little  children,  for  how  often  did  He  use  them  in  His  grand  les- 
sons to  teach  humility,  dependence  on  God,  and  purity  of  heart.  "  Except 
ye  become  as  little  children,"  "  Except  ye  be  born  again  and  become  as  a  little 
child  ;  "  these  were  made  to  serve  as  objective  lessons  to  His  disciples  and  to 
Nicodemus. 

See  the  glad  mothers  coming  with  their  cooing  babes,  and  their  laughing 
toddlings,  and  their  rosy-cheeked  boys  and  girls  fresh  from  a  romp,  because  not 
yet  old  enough  to  know  what  the  gathering  about  Christ  means.  See  them  press- 
ing through  the  crowd  and  making  their  way  towards  Jesus,  who  sits  with 
smiling  face  and  outstretched  hands  ready  to  receive  them.  His  disciples,  how- 
ever, thinking  that  such  a  tumultuous  presentation  of  children  will  annoy  their 
Master,  rebuke  the  anxious  mothers,  telling  them  to  stand  back  and  be  more 
seemly  in  their  manners,  and  more  regardful  of  the  comfort  of  the  Great  Teacher, 
who  has  no  time  to  spend  with  curious  women  and  noisy  infants.  But  Jesus 
answered  His  disciples,  ' '  I  need  no  guard  to  protect  Me  against  such  ovations  ; 
let  them  come,  it  is  My  joy  to  receive  them  ;  so  much  innocence,  so  many  pure 
hearts,  it  is  a  reminder  of  heaven  from  which  I  have  so  long  been  separated. 
Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  Me  and  forbid  them  not ;  for  of  such  is  the 
kingdom  of  God."  And  with  loving  hands  He  blessed  every  little  head  in  that 
assemblage,  perhaps  kissed  all  the  little  happy  lips,  and  smoothed  the  brow  of 
every  little  cherub,  feeling  that  here  were  the  buds,  tender  and  beautiful,  that 
would  flower  into  red  rose,  and  alabaster  lily,  and  carmine  pink,  and  blushing 
carnation,  and  variegated  tulip,  and  sweet  jessamine,  in  His  garden  of  spiritual 
exotics,  a  transplantation  of  the  flowers  of  infancy  of  this  world  into  that  grand 
conservatory  which  Jesus  has  prepared  to  receive  them.  Children,  who  love  their 
mother  better  than  any  one  else,  struggle  to  get  into  His  arms,  and  to  kiss  His 
cheek,  and  to  run  their  fingers  through  His  hair,  and  for  all  time  putting  Jesus 
so  in  love  with  the  little  ones  that  there  is  hardly  a  nursery  in  Christendom  from 
which  He  does  not  take  one,  saying,  ' '  I  must  have  them  ;  I  will  fill  heaven  with 
these;  for  every  cedar  that  I  plant  in  heaven,  I  will  have  fifty  white  lilies." 
And  so  He  loved  them,  and  blessed  them,  and  holding.  His  loving  hands  above 
the  little  heads  about  Him,  said  unto  those  who  stood  near,  the  disciples  and 
Pharisees,  "  Whosoever  shall  not  receive  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child,  shall 
in  no  wise  enter  therein," 


CHRIST  BI.KSSFNG  LITTI.K  CHILDREN.  -  Drawn  by  Bula. 


27 


(417) 


4i8  FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONE. 

A  Radical  Question. 

As  Jesus  departed  to  continue  His  journey,  a  ruler  of  the  local  synagogue, 
and  one  whose  exemplary  life  had  no  doubt  greatly  endeared  him  to  the  people, 
came  running  to  Jesus,  and  kneeling  before  Him,  as  a  mark  of  his  inferiority, 
said,  "  Good  Master  [or  venerated  rabbi] ,  what  shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life  ?" 
The  request,  made  as  it  was  by  an  exhibition  of  reverential  and  humble  spirit, 
indicates  sincerity,  and  g'ives  us  to  believe  that  the  young  ruler  had  been  soulfully 
impressed  by  Christ's  teachings,  even  if  he  did  not  fully  accept  Him  as  the  Mes- 
siah, Jesus  stopped  and  answered  :  "  Why  call  Me  good,  when  there  is  but  one 
perfect  one,  who  is  God.  If  you  ask  Me  what  is  required  of  you,  I  refer  you  to 
the  commandments,  which  declare  that  thou  shalt  not  kill,  or  steal,  or  bear  false 
witness,  or  be  covetous  or  adulterous,  and  that  thou  shalt  honor  thy  father  and 
mother,  serve  only  one  God,  keep  the  Sabbath  day,  show  mercy,  and  that  thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself."  And  the  young  man  replied,  "All  these 
have  I  kept  from  my  youth  up." 

Did  the  young  ruler  believe  that  he  had  fulfilled  all  the  commandments,  oi 
was  there  a  sense  of  something  yet  lacking,  which  prompted  him  to  apply  to 
Jesus  for  instructions  as  to  what  more  he  should  do  ?  He  must  have  felt  that 
while  obeying  the  letter  of  God's  law  he  was  not  perfect  in  its  spirit,  which  is 
indicated  both  by  his  request  and  by  the  final  answer  which  Jesus  gave  him  : 
'  *  Yet  lackest  thou  one  thing ;  sell  all  that  thou  hast,  and  distribute  unto  the 
poor,  and  thou  shalt  have  treasure  in  heaven  ;  and  come,  follow  Me. ' ' 

The  ruler  had  thought  himself  a  devout  man,  and  as  his  life  perhaps  had 
been  spent  in  religious  duties,  he  no  doubt  believed  that  his  loftiest  aim  was  to 
perfect  himself  for  that  higher  kingdom  into  which  he  hoped  at  last  to  gain 
entrance,  with  many  others  whom  he  was  striving  to  lead  the  same  way.  If  he 
had  been  asked,  "  Are  you  willing  to  make  any  sacrifice  that  would  secure  your 
admittance  into  heaven  ?  "  he  would  have  promptly  responded,  ' '  Yes. ' '  But 
now  he  was  put  to  a  test  that  would  prove  whether  or  not  he  was  sincere  or  false 
to  himself.  He  was  rich  and  a  ruler,  probably  a  rabbi,  and  with  wealth  and 
dignity,  he  was  also  affected  by  custom,  training  and  association.  He  was 
impressed  by  the  knowledge  that  the  poor  were  despised,  oppressed  and  subjected 
to  sufferings  of  many  kinds,  while  the  rich  luxuriated  in  the  delights  of  pride, 
power,  advantage,  ambition,  and  all  the  comforts  that  money  can  supply.  He 
therefore  cast  his  eyes  toward  the  ground,  but  only  in  momentary  reflection,  for 
his  mind  was  soon  made  up  ;  he  could  not  exchange  his  proud  position  on  the 
terras  offered  ;  no,  not  even  if  by  so  doing  it  insured  him  the  reward  of  heaven. 
And  he  turned  away  sorrowfully. 

As  the  rich  young  man  went  on  his  way,  sad  of  heart  but  resolute  in  piupose 
never  to  surrender  his  wealth,  Jesus  said  to  His  disciples  :     "  How  hardly  shall 


(419) 


420  FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

they  that  have  riches  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.     For  it  is  easier  for  a  caniel 

to  go  through  a  needle's  eye,  than  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 

God. "     The  disciples  who  heard  this  could  not  understand  the  saying,  and  asked  : 

' '  Who  then  can  be  saved  ? ' '  Was  not  David  a  rich  man  ?  and  was  not  also  Job,  and 

Jacob,  and  Abraham,  and  Joseph,  and  were  they  not  saved?     Jesus  did  not  mean 

that  no  rich  man  would  ever  enter  the  kingdom  of  God,  but  that  wealth  so  bound 

men  to  material  affairs,  which  was  particularly  true  during  the  period  of  the 

Jewish  hierarchy,  and  in  the  time  of  Christ,  that  spiritual  matters  were  made 

secondary  to  worldly  concerns  ;    that  love  for  the  glittering  preferments  which 

wealth  supplied  chilled  holier  aspirations,  so  that  rich  men  were  married  to  the 

world  rather  'than   to  the  church,  and  became  ambassadors  of  sin,  instead  of 

accepting  poverty  on  earth  that  thereby  they  might  become  plenipotentiaries  of 

heaven.     Yet,  while  this  is  true  of  men  in  general,  there  are  exceptions,  deplor-^ 

ably  few,  in  which  rich  men  are  found  advancing  the  glory  of  God  by  a  liberal 

use  of  their  possessions,  and  for  these  as  well  as  for  the  poor,  Jesus  gave  the 

promise  of  great  reward, — a  life  everlasting  in  the  world  to  come,  and  manifold 

blessings  in  the  present  time  ;  for  God  has  the  power  to  wean  the  hearts  of  even 

wealthy  men  from  their  riches. 

A  Vintage  Scene. 

Having  explained  the  fullness  and  glory  of  the  rewards  which  were  reserved 
for  those  who  cheerfully  make  sacrifices  for  His  sake,  Jesus  likened  the  mercy  and 
generosity  of  God  to  a  householder  who  owned  a  large  vineyard,  and  the  vintage 
being  at  hand  he  sent  out  his  servants  to  hire  laborers  to  gather  the  crop.  Several 
were  engaged  in  the  first  hour  of  the  morning  at  a  denarius,  or  sixteen  cents  per 
day,  to  work,  but  he  had  not  secured  all  the  labor  needed  ;  so  in  the  third  hour 
the  master  going  into  the  market-place  and  finding  other  idle  men,  these  he  also 
engaged,  promising  to  give  them  what  was  just  for  their  work.  And  agiain  he 
went  out  the  sixth  and  the  ninth  hours  and  found  yet  others,  whom  he  also  sent 
into  the  vineyard  with  like  promise  to  pay  them  what  was  just.  At  the  eleventh 
hour  the  master  found  yet  other  workmen  idle  who  had  been  thus  far  unable  to 
obtain  employment,  and  these  he  likewise  hired,  with  no  other  agreement  than 
his  promise  to  pay  them  what  was  right. 

When  the  day's  labor  was  finished  the  owner  of  the  vineyard  instructed  his 
overseer  to  call  in  the  laborers  and  pay  each  of  them,  without  regard  to  the  num- 
ber of  hours  they  had  worked,  the  sum  of  one  denarius,  beginning  however  with 
those  who  had  been  sent  into  the  vineyard  at  the  eleventh  hour,.  These  having 
each  received  a  denarius,  they  went  away  satisfied  ;  likewise  those  engaged  at  the 
third  and  sixth  hour  ;  but  when  those  who  were  hired  at '  the  first  hour  received 
also  a  single  denarius  each,  and  learned  that  the  same  amount  had  been  paid  to 
those  who  had  worked  only  a  single  hour,  they  rose  in  complaint  against  the 


FROM   MANGER   TO  THRONE. 


421 


householder,  saying.  ' '  These  last  have  wrought  but  one  hour,  and  thou  hast  made 
them  equal  to  us,  who  have  borne  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day."  But  he 
answered  them  :  "  Have  I  not  paid  you  the  sum  that  I  agreed  to  give?  Is  it  not 
lawful  for  me  to  do  what  I  will  with  mine  own  ?  Is  thine  eye  evil  because  I  am 
^ood  ? ' ' 

"So,"  said 
Jesus,  ' '  the  last 
■shall  be  first,  and 
the  first  last  in 
My  kingdom  ;  for 
many  be  called, 
but  few  chosen." 
Or,  in  other 
words,  "Those 
who  labored 
throughout  the 
day  did  so  for  the 
sake  of  a  speci- 
fied reward,  while 
those  who  en- 
gaged at  the  later 
hours  did  so  re- 
lying only  upon 
a  promise  that 
they  should  re- 
ceive what  was 
just.  It  is  these 
latter  who  com- 
pose the  few 
chosen  for  reward 
in  My  kingdom. ' ' 

This  parable 
was  spoken  to  the 
disciples  to  show 
the  willingjiess  of  thk  dissatisfied  laborers. 

our  Lord  to  reward  not  for  the  amount  and  duration  of  the  labor  expended  in 
the  service  of  bringing  the  world  to  repentance,  but  in  proportion  to  the  sincerity 
and  trustful  faith  exhibited  by  His  followers. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

ON   THE    WAY   TO    DEATH. 

OUR  Lord  wa.s  now  near  the  Jordan,  on  the  border  of  Judea,  and  having 
decided  to  return  to  Jerusalem,  His  route  lay  through  Jericho.  The 
disciples,  understanding  the  extreme  peril  which  was  before  them, 
knowing  the  hostility  of  the  rabbis,  who  were  anxious  to  get  Him 
within  their  power,  followed  Him  with  reluctance  and  an  exhibition  of  great  fear, 
though  they  still  secretly  hoped  that  His  death  would  not  be  accomplished,  if  at 
all,  until  He  had  established  the  Messianic  Monarchy,  which  He  had  seemed  to 
foreshadow.  Perceiving  their  anxieties,  and  that  the  disciples  did  not  yet  fully 
comprehend  His  mission,  Jesus  took  them  apart  from  the  multitude  that  was  fol- 
lowing, and  said  :  "Behold,  we  go  up  to  Jerusalem  ;  and  the  Son  of  Man  shall 
be  delivered  unto  the  chief  priests,  and  unto  the  scribes,  and  they  shall  condemn 
Him  to  death,  and  shall  deliver  Him  to  the  Gentiles,  and  they  shall  mock  Him, 
and  they  shall  spit  upon  Him,  and  they  shall  kill  Him  ;  and  the  third  day  He 
shall  rise  again."  But  explicit  as  was  this  prophecy,  the  disciples  could  not 
reconcile  it  with  other  declarations  of  Christ  referring  to  the  glory  of  His  kingdom, 
which  they  always  regarded  as  material,  and  while  they  were  in  fear  for  them- 
selves they  still  entertained  a  belief  in  the  miraculous  deliverance  and  glorious 
Messianic  manifestation  of  Christ  in  the  supreme  hour  of  danger. 

Peter,  John  and  James,  who  occupied  the  most  confidential  attitude,  and 
stood  in  more  intimate  relationship  with  Jesus,  were  yet  the  most  ambitious  of  the 
apostles,  but,  afraid  themselves  to  approach  Christ  with  request  that  He  would 
declare  to  them  the  preference  which  might  be  given  them  when  His  kingdom 
should  be  established,  they  applied  to  Salome,  the  mother  of  John  and  James,  and 
besought  her  to  become  an  intercessor  in  their  behalf  This  duty  she  undertook, 
but  not  alone,  for  she  took  with  her  John  and  James,  and  finding  Jesus  in  secret 
she  fell  on  her  knees  before  Him,  in  an  attitude  of  worshipful  devotion,  and 
begged  His  favor,  saying,  "  Grant  that  these,  my  two  sons,  may  sit,  the  one  on 
Thy  right  hand,  and  the  other  on  the  left,  in  Thy  kingdom," 

Whether  this  petition  was  made  with  a  clear  conception  of  what  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  meant,  or  that  it  was  out  of  a  desire,  founded  upon  belief  in  the  uHimate 
triumph  of  our  Lord  and  the  setting  up  of  a  kingdom  on  earth,  we  know  not,  but 
the  reply  which  Jesus  made  indicates  that  the  real  ambition  of  John  and  James 
was  to  share  the  perils  and  to  exhibit  their  unflinching  loyalty  when  the  supreme 

(422) 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  423 

trial  and  predicted  death  should  occur,  for,  replied  Jesus,  "  Ye  know  not  what  ye 
ask.  Can  ye  drink  of  the  cup  that  I  drink  of,  and  be  baptized  with  the  baptism 
that  I  am  baptized  with  ?  "  And  they  answered  with  heroic  fidelity,  "We  are 
able."  With  loving  compassion,  knowing  that  they  did  not  understand  the 
anguish  and  suffering  which  He  was  to  endure,  but  foreseeing  the  martyrdom 
which  would  end  their  earthly  labors,  Jesus  said  to  them,  "  Ye  shall  indeed  drink 
of  My  cup,  and  be  baptized  with  the  baptism  that  I  am  to  be  baptized  with  ;  but 
to  sit  on  My  right  hand  and  on  My  left  is  not  Mine  to  give  ;  but  it  shall  be  given 
to  them  for  whom  it  is  prepared  by  My  Father. ' ' 

When  the  other  disciples  heard  of  the  ambitious  requests  of  John  and  James 
they  were  moved  with  indignation,  but  Jesus  called  them  about  Him  and  explained 
the  unworthiness  of  their  aspirations,  "For,"  said  He,  "you  think  only  of  a 
kingdom  of  this  world,  where  men  may  sit  to  govern  and  to  have  great  power, 
but  My  kingdom,  I  must  again  tell  you,  is  not  of  this  world,  and  in  My  kingdom 
men  are  not  appointed  to  rule  over  others,  but  those  who  would  be  great  must 
prepare  themselves  by  being  humble,  for  those  who  seek  to  be  greatest  shall  be 
servants  to  all.  Even  the  Son  of  Man  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to 
minister,  and  to  give  His  life  as  a  ransom  for  many." 

Healing  of  Blind  Bartimeus. 

The  Passover  was  now  near  at  hand,  when  the  Judean  hills  were  green  with 
bursting  spring-time  and  the  hill-slopes  were  abloom  with  flower  of  orchard,  and 
the  copses  musical  with  song  of  birds.  The  procession  following  Jesus  now 
entered  the  old  historic  city  of  Jericho,  still  surrounded  by  frowning  walls  and 
bristling  with  silenced  battlements.  Here  was  already  gathered  an  immense 
crowd,  as  it  was  a  congregating  place  for  those  coming  from  Galilee  and  Perea  on 
the  way  to  Jerusalem.  Our  L^rd  was  no  doubt  tired  when  He  reached  this  city, 
and  as  a  little  while  would  intervene  before  the  celebration  of  the  Passover  He 
thought  to  tarr}'  here  a  short  time.  Everywhere  He  had  gone  His  labors  of 
healing  and  teaching  had  been  continued,  and  now  He  sought  a  rest,  but  scarcely 
had  He  passed  the  town  limits  when  another  call  was  made  upon  His  illimitable 
mercy. 

Beside  the  road  that  led  into  the  city,  and  near  the  gate,  there  were  scores 
of  beggars  of  every  description,  just  as  I  found  them  at  nearly  every  city  I  visited 
while  in  the  Holy  I^and  last  year.  Custom  in  this  particular  has  not  changed 
much.  Among  these  objects  of  charity  blindness  was,  and  is  to-day,  the  chief 
affliction,  because  of  the  ignorant  prejudices  of  the  people  with  regard  to  early 
applications  of  remedies,  and  principally  on  account  of  inflammation  produced  by 
the  sudden  changes  of  temperature  and  exposure  of  poor  persons  to  the  inclem- 
ency of  heavy  night  dews. 


424  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

Among  the  number  sitting  by  the  gate  asking  ahns  from  those  passing  by- 
were  two  beggars,  only  one  of  whom  is  named,  because  his  appeals  for  mercy 
indicate  that  he  had  heard  of  the  cures  of  Jesus,  and  had  looked  forward  with 
anxious  hope  for  His  appearing.  Bartimeus,  one  of  the  blind  men,  hearing  the 
noise  of  a  passing  multitude,  asked  of  some  who  were  near  him  the  cause,  and 
being  informed  that  it  was  Jesus  and  the  vast  crowd  that  followed  Him,  he  began 
to  cry  out  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  "Jesus,  thou  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on 
me."  So  loud  was  his  cry  that  the  people  were  disturbed,  and  tried  to  suppress 
him,  but  this  only  caused  him  to  shout  louder  and  with  greater  vehemence.  The 
cry  reached  the  ears  of  Jesus,  who  was  always  listening  for  a  complaint  of 
suffering,  and  halting.  He  requested  that  the  two  men  be  brought  to  Him.  Some 
of  the  people  thereupon  said  to  the  two,  "  Hush  your  cries,  for  Jesus  is  now 
calling  you."  The  stoppage  of  voice  gave  greater  impulse  to  throbbing  heart, 
and  with  joy  immeasurable,  and  radiation  of  face  that  showed  almost  like  trans- 
figurement,  the  poor  blind  creatures  rose,  and  in  their  exuberance  tore  off  their 
coats,  which,  being  in  rags,  fettered  free  movement,  and  would  have  run  dis- 
tractedly in  anxiety  to  meet  their  Restorer.  But  they  had  no  reason  to  move, 
for  Jesus  had  approached  them  and  said,  trying  their  faith,  "  What  will  you  that 
I  should  do  unto  you?  "  "  O  L,ord,"  they  answered,  "  restore  to  us  our  sight," 
Their  cry  of  earnestness  showed  how  great  was  their  faith,  and  Jesus,  first 
touching  their  eyes,  said,  "Go  your  way;  your  faith  hath  saved  you."  Oh, 
wondrous  act !  Four  lighthouses  set  up  at  the  harbors  of  two  mortal  souls  long 
in  darkness,  under  the  shining  of  which  the  world  sailed  in  and  dropped  anchor. 
"  And  immediately  they  received  their  sight,  and  followed  Him,  glorifying  God  ; 
and  the  people  when  they  saw  it  gave  praise  to  God." 

Christ  is  Entertained  by  Zaccheus. 

Jericho  was  an  important  seat  of  commerce,  next  in  rank  to  Capernaum, 
and  being  also  a  I^evitical  city,  it  contained  many  publicans  and  priests,  whose 
hostility  towards  each  other  had  passed  into  by-words,  because  it  was  so  long- 
protracted  and  irreconcilable.  Among  the  publicans  who  stood  as  chief  of  his 
colleagues  was  one  named  Zaccheus,  who  was  a  politician  as  well  as  a  tax- 
gatherer.  He  had  an  honest  calling,  but  the  opportunity  for  "  stealings"  was  so 
large  that  the  temptation  was  too  much  for  him.  The  Bible  says  he  "was  a 
sinner" — that  is,  in  the  public  sense.  How  many  fine  men  have  been  ruined  by 
ofiicial  position  !  It  is  an  awful  thing  for  any  man  to  seek  ofiice  under  govern- 
ment unless  his  principles  of  integrity  are  deeply  fixed.  Many  a  man,  upright 
in  an  insignificant  position,  has  made  shipwreck  in  a  great  one.  As  far  as  I  can 
tell,  in  the  city  of  Jericho  this  Zaccheus  belonged  to  what  might  be  called  the 
"Ring."      They  had  things  their  own  way,   successfully  avoiding  exposure. 


PKiusi.M  \ii\\   ui    iiii;  .sTKi;i:r  tJi'  Tin:  tuwi.k  tn'  dwh),  jkkusali':m. 

From  The  Christian  Herald.  (425) 


426  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

Notwithstanding  his  bad  reputation,  there  were  streaks  of  good  about  him,  as 
there  is  about  almost  every  man.  Gold  is  found  in  quartz  and  sometimes  in  a 
very  small  percentage. 

Jesus  was  coming  to  town.  The  people  turned  out  en  masse  to  see  Him. 
Here  He  comes — the  L,ord  of  Glory — on  foot,  dust-covered  and  road-weary, 
limping  along  the  way,  carrying  the  griefs  and  woes  of  the  world.  He  looks  to 
be  sixty  years  of  age  when  He  is  only  about  thirty.  Zaccheus  was  a  short  man, 
and  could  not  see  over  the  people's  heads  while  standing  on  the  ground  ;  so  he 
got  up  into  a  sycamore  tree  that  swung  its  arm  clear  over  the  road.  Jesus 
advanced  amid  the  wild  excitement  of  the  surging  crowd.  The  most  honor- 
able and  popular  men  of  the  city  are  looking  on,  and  trying  to  gain  His  atten- 
tion. Jesus,  instead  of  regarding  them,  looks  up  at  the  little  man  in  the  tree, 
and  says,  "Zaccheus,  come  down.  I  am  going  home  with  you."  Every- 
body was  disgusted  to  think  that  Christ  would  go  home  with  so  dishonorable  a 
man. 

I  see  Christ  entering  the  front  door  of  the  house  of  Zaccheus.  The  King 
of  heaven  and  earth  sits  down  ;  and  as  he  looks  around  on  the  place  and  the 
family,  He  pronounces  the  benediction:  "This  day  is  salvation  come  to  this 
house." 

Zaccheus  had  mounted  the  sycamore  tree  out  of  mere  inquisitiveness.  He 
wanted  to  see  how  this  stranger  looked — the  color  of  His  eyes,  the  length  of 
His  hair,  the  contour  of  His  features,  the  height  of  His  stature.  "  Come  down," 
said  Christ. 

He  had  more  than  his  curiosity  satisfied,  for  his  reward  was  salvation,  the 
greatest,  grandest  and  most  glorious  that  God  can  give. 

When  the  Jews  saw  Christ  accepting  the  hospitality  of  a  publican,  and  one, 
too,  against  whom  charges  of  dishonesty  had  been  preferred,  they  raised  their 
voices  in  bitter  revilings.  But  Jesus  had  become  familiar  with  upbraidings,  and 
regarded  them  so  little  now  that  He  did  not  even  reply  to  His  critics,  as  He  had 
so  often  done  in  the  earlier  part  of  His  ministry.  When  the  two  had  been  a 
short  while  in  conversation,  Zaccheus  became  so  impressed  by  the  magnanimity 
of  Jesus,  in  braving  public  opinion  and  accepting  fellowship  with  one  so  despised, 
that  he  determined  to  make  an  avowal  before  the  people  by  way  of  both  acknow- 
ledging Jesus  and  accepting  His  teaching.  Therefore,  said  he,  standing  up 
before  the  I,ord  and  the  large  assemblage  about  the  door  of  his  house  :  ' '  Behold, 
Lord,  the  half  of  my  goods  I  give  to  the  poor  ;  and  if  I  havg  taken  anything 
from  any  rfian  by  false  accusation,  I  restore  him  four- fold."  And  Jesus  said  to 
him,  "This  day  is  salvation  come  to  this  house,  forasmuch  as  he  is  a  son  of 
Abraham.  For  the  Son  of  Man  is  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was 
lost." 


FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONE.  427 

Parable  of  the  Nobleman  and  the  Ten  Talents. 

After  Zaccheus  had  thus  made  his  acknowledgment  of  conversion  by  an 
exhibition  of  the  true  spirit  of  repentance,  Jesus  related  a  parable  to  the  people, 
who  were  gathered  about  the  house,  taking  for  His  subject  the  varying  fortunes 
of  Archelaus,  but  applying  the  similitude  to  His  own  requirements. 

Many  of  the  parables  were  more  graphic  in  the  times  in  which  He  lived  than 
they  are  now,  because  circumstances  have  so  much  changed.  In  olden  times, 
when  a  man  wanted  to  wreak  a  grudge  upon  his  neighbor,  after  the  farmer  had 
scattered  the  seed  wheat  over  the  field  and  was  expecting  the  harvest,  his  avenger 
would  go  across  the  same  field  with  a  sack  full  of  the  seed  of  darnel  grass, 
scattering  that  seed  all  over  the  field,  and  of  course  it  would  sprout  up  and  spoil 
the  whole  crop  ;  and  it  was  to  that  Christ  referred  in  the  parable  when  He  spoke 
of  the  tares  being  sown  among  the  wheat.  In  this  land  our  farms  are  fenced  off, 
and  the  wolves  have  been  driven  to  the  mountains,  and  we  cannot  fully  under- 
stand the  meaning  of  the  parable  in  regard  to  the  shepherd  and  the  lost  sheep. 
But  the  parable  of  the  Talents  can  be  easily  understood  in  all  lands  and  ages.  It 
is  built  on  money,  and  that  means  the  same  in  Jerusalem  as  in  New  York.  It 
means  the  same  to  the  serf  as  to  the  czar,  and  to  the  Chinese  coolie  as  to  the 
emperor.  Whether  it  is  made  out  of  bone  or  brass,  or  iron  or  copper,  or  gold  or 
silver,  it  speaks  all  languages  without  a  stammer.  The  parable  runs  in  this 
wise :  The  owner  of  a  large  estate  was  about  to  leave  home,  and  he  had  some 
money  that  he  wished  properly  invested,  and  so  he  called  together  his  serv^ants, 
and  said  :  "  I  am  going  away  now,  and  I  wish  you  would  take  this  money  and 
put  it  to  the  very  best  possible  use,  and  when  I  come  back,  return  to  me  the 
interest.  To  one  man  he  gave  $9000,  to  others  he  gave  lesser  sums  of  money  ;  to 
the  least  he  gave  $1800.  He  left  home  and  was  gone  for  years,  and  then  returned. 
On  his  arrival  he  was  anxious  to  know  about  his  worldly  affairs,  and  he  called 
his  servants  together  to  report  to  him.  "Let  me  know,"  said  he,  "what  you 
have  been  doing  with  my  property  since  I  have  been  gone."  The  man  who 
had  received  the  $9000  came  up  and  said,  "  I  invested  that  money.  I  got  good 
interest  for  it.  I  have  in  other  ways  rightly  employed  it ;  and  here  are  $17,000. 
You  see  I  have  nearly  doubled  what  you  gave  me."  "That's  very  good,"  said 
the  owner  of  the  estate  ;  "  that's  grandly  done.  I  admire  your  faithfulness  and 
industr)\  I  shall  reward  you.  Well  done — well  done."  Other  ser\'ants  came 
up  with  smaller  accumulations.  After  a  while  I  see  a  man  dragging  himself 
along,  with  his  head  hanging.  I  know  from  the  way  he  comes  in  that  he  is  a 
lazy  fellow.  He  comes  up  to  the  owner  of  the  estate  and  says  :  ' '  Here  are  those 
$1800."  "What!"  says  the  owner  of  the  property,  "haven't  you  made  it 
accumulate  anything?"  "Nothing — nothing."  "Why,  what  have  you  been 
about  all  these  years?"     "Oh,  I   was  afraid   that  if  I  invested   it,    I   might 


428  FROM    MANGER   TO  THRONE. 

somehow  lose  it.  There  are  your  $1800."  Many  a  young  man  started  out  with 
only  a  crown  in  his  pocket,  and  achieved  a  fortune  ;  but  this  fellow  of  the  parable, 
with  $1800,  has  gained  not  one  farthing.  Instead  of  confessing  his  indolence,  he 
goes  to  work  to  berate  his  master,  for  indolence  is  almost  always  imprudent  and 
impertinent.  Of  course,  he  loses  his  place  and  is  discharged  from  the  service. 
The  owner  who  went  out  into  a  far  country  is  Jesus  Christ  going  from  earth  to 
heaven.  The  servants  spoken  of  are  members  of  the  Church.  The  talents  are 
our  different  qualifications  of  usefulness  given  in  different  proportions  to  different 
people.  The  coming  back  of  the  owner  is  the  Lord  Jesus  returning  at  the  judg- 
ment to  make  final  settlement.  The  raising  of  some  of  these  men  to  be  rulers 
over  five  or  two  cities,  is  the  exaltation  of  the  righteous  at  the  last  day,  while  the 
casting  out  of  the  idler  is  the  expulsion  of  all  those  who  have  misimproved  their 
privileges. 

And  another  parable  He  gave  them  in  this  wise  :  There  was  a  certain  man 
owning  vast  possessions  of  land  which  for  years  had  yielded  so  bounteously 
that  for  a  while  he  was  at  a  loss  to  know  how  he  would  be  able  to  store  his 
crops.  But  at  length  he  conceived  the  idea  of  building  larger  barns  in  which 
he  would  hoard  not  only  his  crops  but  his  other  goods  also,  which  were  so 
great  that  he  could  thereafter  say,  ' '  Behold,  I  am  the  richest  man  of  my  neigh- 
borhood." So  vain  did  he  become  under  the  inspiration  which  prompted  him 
that  he  said  to  himself,  rubbing  his  hands  and  chuckling  with  intense  satis- 
faction, "Now  that  I  am  rich,  I  will  take  no  heed  of  time  or  worry  myself 
over  the  future,  but  will  spend  all  my  days  eating,  drinking  and  making 
merry."  But  in  the  night  when  he  was  alone,  when  there  seemed  to  be  a 
weird  quiet  upon  him,  he  heard  the  voice  of  God,  saying,  "Thou  fool,  this  night 
thy  soul  shall  be  required  of  thee  ;  then  whose  shall  those  things  be  which  thou 
hast  provided?  " 

"So  is  he,"  said  Jesus,  "that  layeth  up  treasure  for  himself  and  is  not 
rich  toward  God."  So  it  is  with  those  who  waste  their  opportunities  to  do 
good. 

The  Kingdom  of  God  can  only  be  obtained  by  a  wise  use  of  our  advan- 
tages, in  which  the  happiness  of  others  should  be  quite  as  much  our  ambition 
as  the  enrichment  of  ourselves.  * '  For, ' '  said  Jesus,  * '  the  Kingdom  of  heaven 
is  like  a  man  seeking  a  goodly  pearl,  who,  when  he  had  found  one  pearl  of  great 
price,  went  and  sold  all  that  he  had  and  bought  it. ' '  Or,  in  other  words,  the 
Kingdom  of  heaven  is  all  about  us  and  which  we  may  obtain  by  a  diligent 
search  for  it.  If  by  our  devotion  to  God  we  discover  means  for  doing  the 
largest  amount  of  good  in  a  particular  field,  then  it  is  our  duty  to  apply  all 
our  energies  in  that  work  which  yields  its  abundance  of  righteous  fruits,  for 
there  will  we  find  the  Kingdom  of  heaven. 


FROM    MANGKR  TO   THRONE.  429 

And  to  impress,  upon  those  whom  He  taught,  the  importance  of  using 
o\ir  abilities  in  earnest  endeavor  to  perform  the  most  useful  service,  Jesus  gave 
another  parable  in  re-enforcement  01  the  other.  Said  He,  ' '  A  certain  man  had 
a  fig  tree  which  produced  no  fruit  for  three  years,  and  being  angered  at  its 
unfruitfulness  he  called  his  servant  and  told  him  to  cut  it  down,  since  it  was 
so  useless  as  to  even  cumber  the  ground,  taking  up  space  which  might  be  used 
for  a  bearing  tree.  But  his  servant  answered  him,  "  Don't  cut  down  the  tree 
yet ;  it  has  never  been  properly  nurtured  ;  with  some  spading  up  of  the  ground 
about  its  roots  and  some  manure  added  to  enrich  the  earth  around  it,  I  think  in 
another  year  it  will  bear  well ;  if,  however,  after  such  cultivation  it  is  still  barren, 
then  CO'  it  down."  This  parable  not  only  illustrated  the  necessity  of  cultivating 
ourselves  for  the  higher  duties  by  inciting  in  us  an  ambition  to  give  our  best  efforts. 
to  a  service  that  will  benefit  mankind,  but  it  was  specially  directed  to  those  Jews- 
who  had  for  long  centuries  produced  no  works  of  righteousness  ;  who  were  like  a 
barren  tree  which  put  forth  leaves,  but  yielded  no  fruits.  For  their  barrenness- 
God  had  thought  to  cut  them  ofi",  but  Jesus  comes  as  the  servant,  saying,  "  I  will 
teach  them  their  obligations  ;  I  will  call  them  to  repentance  ;  I  will  strive  to  set 
up  in  their  hearts  a  worshipful  feeling;  I  will  endeavor  to  root  out  the  vanities 
which  have  alienated  them  from  God,  and  give  them  a  nourishment  which  will 
stimulate  them  to  nobler  ambitions,  that  they  may  produce  fruits  unto  righteous- 
ness. If  they  still  prove  unfruitful  then  let  them  be  cut  down,  but  not  until 
they  have  been  given  opportunity  to  improve  the  advantages  which  I  oSeh 
them." 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

JESUS   AT  THE   VII.I.AGE    HOME. 

TESUS  may  have  found  some  rest  at  Jericho,  but  it  was  not  in  a 
cessation  of  His  merciful  labors,  nor  was  Zaccheus  the  only  one  who 
confessed  the  evil  of  his  ways  and  made  public  acknowledgment  of 
faith  in  Christ,  for  to  Jesus  was  here",  drawn  a  great  multitude  who 
would  accompany  Him  on  the  journey  to  Jerusalem,  and  participate  in  the  halle- 
lujahs which  would  be  sung  there  in  His  praise. 

Jesus  was  aware  that  the  counsel  of  Caiaphas  had  been  adopted,  and  that 
all  who  knew  Him  were  commanded  to  report  His  presence  to  the  Sanhedrim 
whenever  He  might  be  found,  that  He  might  be  arrested  and  made  to  answer  the 
judgment  which  had  been  rendered  against  Him.  But  this  did  not  in  any  wise 
abate  His  desire  to  attend  the  Passover  feast,  where  He  was  to  receive  an  ovation 
before  being  brought  to  the  cross.  Accordingly,  He  set  out  for  Jerusalem,  accom- 
panied by  an  immense  multitude  of  people,  who,  while  knowing  the  order  of 
the  Sanhedrim,  held  Him  in  such  estimation  that  they  refused  to  report  Him. 
Nor  would  report  now  have  hastened  His  apprehension  by  the  officers  of  the 
hierarchy,  for  He  had  the  temporary  protection  of  an  army  of  devoted  followers, 
who  had  seen  His  mighty  works  and  believed  on  Him.  Passing  on  down  the 
rugged  gorge  of  the  Kedron,  the  procession  continued  its  journey  towards  Jeru- 
salem, until  reaching  the  village  of  Bethany  (on  a  Friday) ,  Jesus  stopped  with 
His  disciples  to  spend  the  Jewish  Sabbath  (Saturday  of  our  reckoning)  with  His 
friends,  I^azarus,  and  Mary  and  Martha,  and  Simon  whom  He  had  healed  of  the 
slow  death  of  leprosy.  It  was  a  family  group,  for  one  tradition  says  Simon 
was  the  husband  of  Mary,  and  another  represents  him  as  the  father,  while 
every  circumstance  recorded  points  to  him  as  an  intimate  of  I^azarus  and  the  two 
sisters. 

The  apostles  neglected  to  give  us  any  particulars  of  this  visit  at  Bethany, 
beyond  a  mention  of  the  fact  that  the  presence  of  Jesus  drew  many  people  to  the 
place,  who  came  not  alone  to  see  Him,  but  to  see  I^azarus  also.  The  wrath 
excited  in  the  Pharisees  and  rabbis  by  the  miraculous  resmrection  of  lyazarus, 
followed  as  it  was  by  a  sudden  conversion  of  the  masses  to  a  belief  in  Jesus  as 
the  Holy  One  sent  by  God,  was  such  that  the  chief  priests  decided  to  execute 
Lazarus.  By  this  murderous  act  they  expected  to  destroy  one  of  the  principal 
witnesses  to  the  Messiahship  of  Christ,  and  thin  to  overcome  with  threatenings 

(430) 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


431 


those  who  had  been  present  at  the  restoration.  Understanding  their  designs, 
Lazarus  doubtless  became  a  fugitive,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  he  returned  to 
his  home  in  Beth- 
any about  the  time 
of  Christ's  visit,  if 
not  in  His  com- 
pany. This  suppo- 
sition accounts  for 
the  eagerness  of  the 
people,  as  stated  by 
John,  to  see  Eaz- 
arus,  since  there 
appears  to  have 
been  quite  as  much  | 
curiosity  to  behold 
him  as  there  was 
to  see  Jesus.  Says  |i 
John,  "  Much  peo- 
ple of  the  Jews 
therefore  knew  that 
He  [Jesus]  was 
there :  and  they 
came,  not  for  Jesus' 
sake  only,  but  that 
they  might  see  Eaz- 
arus  also,  whom 
He  had  raised  from 
the  dead."  If 
Lazarus  had  re- 
mained at  home  af- 
ter his  resurrection , 
the  curiosity  of  the 
Jews  about  Jeru- 
salem to  see  and 
talk  with  !i  i  m 
would  have  long 
before  been  grati- 
fied,   thouofh    it   is 


THE  GOLDKN  GATE. — From  The  Christian  Herald. 


possible    that    the   curiosity    spoken   of  by   John    was   manifested    only    by   the 
Jews  who  had  newly  arrived  from  remote  parts  of  Galilee  and  Perea  to  attend 


432  FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

the  Passover.    But  as  Lazarus  had  been  condemned  by  the  chief  priests,  it  is  more 

plausible  to  suppose  that  he  had  been  a  fugitive  until  the  time  of  Christ's  visit. 

If  this  be  true,  we  may  picture  the  joy  that  came  to  that  household  ]  the  delight 

which  the  presence  of  Jesus  gave,  re-enforced  by  the  return  of  a  beloved  brother 

who  had   been    hunted  for  his  life  for  many  months,  during  which  interval  a 

thousand  misgivings  and  fears  for  his  safety  must  have  agitated  the  hearts  of  his 

loving  sisters.     What  a  pleasant  Sabbath  ;  what  a  joyous  reunion  ;  and  yet  how 

much  of  sorrow  must  have  mingled  with  that  happiness.     Did  Mary  and  Martha 

and  Lazarus  know  that  this  was  the  last  Sabbath  they  were  to  pass  in  Christ's 

company,  and  that  before  the  next  should  dawn  they  were  to  behold  Him  in  the 

arms  of  crucifixion  ?     Compassionate  to  the  sorrows  of  others,  perhaps  Jesus  did 

not  tell  them  ;  it  would  have  given  Him  no  relief ;  it  would  have  been  no  balm  to 

His  mental  agonies  ;  it  would  have  been  no  consolement  to  His  anguished  heart. 

In  that  hour  of  felicitation  over  the  return  of  a  persecuted  brother,  and  the  joy 

which  His  own  precious  presence  gave,  Jesus  would  give  no  revealment  of  the  great 

tragedy  which  was  so  near  at  hand ;  over  that  bright  day  of  supreme  happiness 

He  would  cast  no  cloud  of  sorrow  ;  into  those  glad  hearts  He  would  throw  no 

pang  of  poignant  grief,  but  in  their  presence  would  affect  delight,  even  if  He  felt 

it  not ;  the  rapture  of  meeting  again  with  His  dear  friends  should  not  be  marred 

by  reflections  on  His  own  impending  fate.     And  so  we  may  believe  that  the 

last  Sabbath    in    Bethany  was   spent    in    the   pleasure  of  prayer  and  in  social 

enjoyment. 

A  Lane  of  Hosannas. 

Many  Jews  had  gathered  at  Jerusalem  from  all  parts  of  the  nation  several 
days  before  the  Passover,  to  submit  themselves  to  the  rites  of  purification  ;  and  as 
the  presence  of  Jesus  at  Jericho  had  probably  been  reported,  He  was  made  the 
chief  topic  of  conversation  by  the  assembled  Jews.  Some  of  them  thought  that 
Jesus  might  already  be  in  the  city,  but  in  hiding,  and  many  sought  for  Him  ;  for 
once  before  He  had  suddenly  appeared  on  the  Temple  porch  when  every  one 
believed  that  He  dared  not  show  Himself  in  Jerusalem.  But  others  expressed  the 
opinion  that  He  would  not  come  again,  becau.se  of  the  order  given  by  the  chief 
priests  and  Pharisees  to  arrest  Him.  They  believed  so  long  as  He  remained  in 
the  country  districts,  where  His  followers  were  numerous  and  the  power  of  the 
chief  priests  limited,  He  would  be  comparatively  safe  ;  but  if  He  should  venture 
into  the  stronghold  of  the  Pharisees,  He  would  be  promptly  taken  and  put  upon 
trial  for  His  life. 

But  while  the  Jews  were  debating  the  probability  of  His' venturing  into  Jeru- 
salem, Jesus  was  preparing  to  make  His  public  entry..  On  the  Monday  morning 
(our  Sunday)  following  the  Jewish  Sabbath  spent  in  Bethany,  Jesus  and  His 
disciples  set  out  afoot  for  the  Holy  city,  but  at  the  Mount  of  Olives,  at  the  little 


FROM  MANGER  TO  THRONE.  433 

village  called  Bethphage,  which  was  a  suburlj  <jf  Jerusalem,  He  sent  forward  two 
of  His  apostles,  commanding  them  to  bring  to  Him  a  she  ass,  and  her  colt  which 
had  never  yet  been  ridden,  and  which  they  would  find  tied  at  the  edge  of  the 
town.  The  disciples  departed  quickly  upon  the  appointed  errand  and  finding  the 
ass  and  colt,  as  had  been  told  them,  they  brought  the  two  to  Jesus,  who  mounted 
the  latter  and  prepared  to  make  His  entry  into  the  priest-ridden  city,  where  His 
enemies  were  clamorous  for  His  life.  Zechariah  had  prophesied  that  the  Messiah 
would  be  so  poor  that  He  could  afford  no  better  conveyance  than  an  ass,  and  that 
upon  such  an  animal  He  would  make  His  entrance  into  Jerusalem,  and  behold 
now  this  prophecy  was  about  to  be  fulfilled. 

His  movements  were  so  quickly  reported  to  the  Jews  in  the  city  that  scarcely 
had  the  morning  dawned  and  the  olive  gardens  begun  to  wave  with  light,  when 
crowds  of  wondering  people  began  to  assemble  along  the  way  from  top  of  Olivet 
to  wall  of  Jerusalem.     But  instead  of  meeting  officers  coming  with  writ,  or  incensed 
Jews  clamoring  for  His  life,  Jesus  meets  with  thousands  ready  to  prostrate  them- 
selves with  reverence  or  lift  their  voices  with  praise.     Behold  Jesus  on  His  trium- 
phal march  !     Let  none  jeer  now  or  scoff  at  this  rider,  or  the  populace  wall  trample 
him  under  foot  in  an  instant.     There  is  one  long  shout  of  two  miles,  and  as  far  as 
the  eye  can  reach  you   see  wavings  of  demonstrations  and  approval.     There  is 
something  in  the  rider's  visage,  something  in  His  majestic  brow,  something  in 
His  princely  behavior,  that  stirs  up  the  enthusiasm  of  the  people.     They  run  up 
against  the  beast  and  try  to  pull  off  into  their  arms,  and  carry  on  their  shoulders 
the  illustrious  Stranger.     The  populace  are  so  excited  that  they  hardly  know 
what  to  do  with  themselves,  and  some  rush  up  to  the  roadside  trees  and  wrench 
off"  branches  and  throw  them  in  His  way,  and  others  doff"  their  garments — what 
though  they  be  new  and  costly  ! — and  spread  them  for  a  carpet  for  the  Conqueror 
to  ride  over.      "  Hosanna  !  "  cry  the  people  at  the  foot  of  the  hill.      "  Hosanna  !  " 
cry  the  people  all  up  and  down  the  mountain.     The  procession  now  comes  to  the 
brow  of  Olivet.     Magnificent  prospect  reaching  out  in  every  direction — vineyards, 
olive  groves,  jutting  rock,  silvery  Siloam,  and  above  all,  rising  on  the  throne  of 
hills,    the  most  highly  honored  city  of  all  the  earth,  Jerusalem.     Christ  there,  in 
the  midst  of  the  procession,  looks  off",  and  sees  here  fortressed  gates,  and  yonder 
the  circling  wall,  and  here  the  towers  blazing  in  the  sun,  Phasaelis  and  Mariamne. 
Yonder  is  Hippicus,  the  king's  castle.     Looking  along  in  the  range  of  the  larger 
branch  of  that  olive  tree  you  see  the  mansions  of  the  merchant  princes.     Through 
this  cleft  in  the  limestone  rock  you  see  the  palace  of  the  richest  trafficker  of  all  the 
earth.      He    has   made  his  money  by  selling   Tyrian    purple.     Behold  now  the 
Temple  !     Clouds  of  smoke  lifting  from  the  shimmering  roof,  while  the  building 
rises  up  beautiful,  grand,  majestic,  the  architectural  skill  and  glory  of  the  earth  lift- 
ing themselves  there  in  one  triumphant  doxology,  the  frozen  prayer  of  all  nations. 
28 


434  FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

The  crowd  looked  around  to  see  exhilaration  and  transport  in  the  face  of 
Christ,  Oh,  no  !  Out  from  amid  the  gates,  and  the  domes,  and  the  palaces 
there  arose  a  vision  of  that  city's  sin,  and  of  that  city's  doom,  which  obliterated 
the  landscape  from  horizon  to  horizon,  and  He  burst  into  tears.  "  He  beheld  the 
city,  and  wept  over  it." 

After  pronouncing  the  woe  that  was  to  come  upon  Jerusalem,  and  which  was 
fulfilled  scarcely  forty  years  later  (A.  D.  70),  when  Titus  sacked  the  city,  demol- 
ished its  splendors,  and  put  its  inhabitants  to  the  sword,  Jesus  proceeded  on  to  the 
Temple.  Dismounting  and  leaving  His  beast  He  entered  that  Holy  sanctuary 
and  took  possession  of  it  as  the  true  representative  of  Jehovah.  Here  the  sick  and 
the  otherwise  afflicted  flocked  about  Him  and  He  healed  them  all,  so  that  voices 
of  gratitude  mingled  with  acclaims  of  praise.  Here  He  stood,  not  only  within 
the  city  of  His  enemies,  but  in  the  most  sacred  courts,  fearless  of  evil,  yet  merciful 
to  all.  "  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David,"  was  the  cry  from  ten  thousand  throats, 
which  striking  column  and  pilaster,  and  pillar,  and  wall  of  cedar  and  of  silver  and 
gold,  was  flung  back  in  numberless  echoes,  like  the  glory-giving  of  an  angel  band. 

"See,"  said  the  jealous  and  malignant  Pharisees,  "the whole  people  have 
gone  after  Him."  Yet,  with  all  their  indignation  they  dared  not  arrest  Him,  but 
stood  with  lowering  brows  and  compressed  lips,  transfixed  by  His  words  of  just 
accusation,  and  heard  even  the  children  lift  their  voices  in  praise.  "  Out  of  the 
mouth  of  babes  and  sucklings  Thou  hast  perfected  praise,  that  Thou  mightest  put 
to  shame  thine  enemies,  and  silence  Thy  foes,  and  those  who  rage  against  Thee." 

A  Fig=Tree  Withers  Under  Jesus'  Curse. 

When  the  afternoon  was  far  spent,  Jesus  left  the  Temple  after  prayers,  and 
returned  with  His  disciples  to  Bethany.  While  on  the  way  He  felt  great  hunger 
having  passed  the  day  without  food,  as  the  crowd  had  given  Him  no  opportunity 
to  refresh  Himself  Espying  a  fig-tree  by  the  road-side.  He  approached  it,  think- 
ing that,  though  it  was  not  the  time  for  fig  gathering,  it  might  have  some  ripe 
fruit  still  on  its  branches.  The  whole  region  abounds  with  figs  and  dates,  from 
which  fact  both  Bethany  and  Bethphage  take  their  names,  and  among  the  varie- 
ties is  one  which  holds  its  fruit  throughout  the  winter.  The  tree  to  which  Jesus 
came  was  no  doubt  one  of  these,  and  seeing  the  leaves  green  and  apparently 
thrifty.  He  found  among  the  foliaged  pretension  no  fruit.  But  He  turned  this 
circumstance  into  a  practical  lesson,  which  He  set  forth  before  His  disciples  and 
others  who  may  have  been  with  Him.  The  tree  was  a  type  of  Israel,  and  of  the 
rabbis  and  Pharisees,  who,  while  boasting  of  their  piety,  and  making  ostentatious 
display  of  their  love  for  Jehovah,  were  at  heart  hypocrites,  vain  to  be  seen,  but 
wholly  useless  in  the  service  of  God.  So  Jesus  said  to  the  tree,  ' '  No  man  eat 
fruit  of  thee  hereafter  forever. ' ' 


JESUS'    TRIUMPHAL,    ENTRY    INTO  JERUSALEM. 


(435) 


436  FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

Circumstances  plainly  indicate  that  this  incident  occurred  while  Jesus  was 
returning  to  Bethany  after  the  exhausting  excitements  of  the  day  spent  in  Jeru- 
salem, when  He  would  most  likely  be  hungry,  for  it  is  wholly  improbable  that 
such  hospitable  and  devoted  friends  as  Mary  and  Martha  and  I^azarus,  with  whom 
He  must  have  sojourned,  would  have  allowed  Him  to  depart  from  their  home 
break fastless.  So  it  appears  by  the  reading  of  Mark.  The  disciples  heard  His 
curse  of  the  tree,  but  did  not  perceive  the  effects  until  the  morrow,  when,  sur- 
prised to  behold  it  dead,  they  remarked  to  one  another,  "  How  soon  is  the  fig-tree 
withered  away!"  To  which  Jesus  answered,  "Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  if  ye 
have  faith,  and  doubt  not,  ye  shall  not  only  do  this  which  is  done  to  the  fig-tree, 
but  also  if  3'e  shall  say  unto  this  mountain,  '  Be  thou  removed,  and  be  thou  cast 
into  the  sea,'  it  shall  be  done." 

Rome  Arrayed  Against  Jesus. 

The  ferv^or  and  loyalty  displayed  by  such  a  vast  multitude  for  Jesus,  and  His 
assumption  of  authority,  as  well  as  the  public  rebukements  which  He  made  of  the 
hypocrites  who  had  so  long  ministered  in  the  sanctuaries — the  more  bitter  because 
so  well  deserved — fairly  paralyzed  the  Pharisees,  but  they  were  forced  to  restrain 
their  consuming  anger  because  of  their  fear  of  the  people.  After  the  da}'  of  Christ' s 
great  triumph  had  ended.  His  enemies  began  to  consult  as  to  the  most  advisable 
means  for  staying  the  popular  favor  and  carrying  out  the  recommendations  of 
Caiaphas.  Heretofore  the  charges  preferred  against  Jesus  were  of  a  nature  which 
the  Roman  law  could  not  take  cognizance  of,  as  they  involved  merely  accusations 
of  violation  of  rabbinical  laws  and  customs,  but  while  endangering  the  power  of  the 
hierarchy.  His  acts  could  not  be  construed  as  threatening  the  stability  of  the  state. 

After  consulting  for  a  time,  the  chief  priests  evolved  a  plan  for  bringing 
Jesus  before  the  higher  court,  which  alone  had  power  to  impose  the  death  penalty. 
In  pursuance  of  tjieir  nefarious  conclusions  they  accordingly  charged  Him  with 
treason  against  Rome  for  having  declared  Himself  king.  They  understood  with 
what  jealousy  the  Roman  government  regarded  the  Messianic  promises,  and  how 
anxiously  the  Jewish  nation  was  looking  forward  to  the  coming  of  a  new  ruler  ; 
and  they  were  mindful  also  of  the  fact  that  numerous  insurrections  in  Judea  had 
served  to  render  the  Romans  harsh  and  prompt  in  their  treatment  of  every  act  of 
insubordination  that  gave  indication  of  treasonable  spirit  towards  the  Emperor. 
They  also  knew  the  temper  of  Pilate,  and  relied  on  him  to  give  hearing  to  their 
charges  against  Jesus,  of  "perv^erting  the  nation,  and  forbidding  to  give  tribute 
to  Caesar,  saying  that  He  Himself  is  Christ  a  king." 

Ye  Have  made  my  Father's  House  a  Den  of  Thieves. 

As  Jesus  knew  the  doom  which  was  near  at  hand,  He  gave  Himself  no  con- 
cern for  the  plottings  of  His  enemies,  and  the  morning  following  His  triumphal 


STREET  LiCADiNG  TO  THE  PAi-ACE   OK   HEUOD,   jEKUSAi,ic.M. — IVom    a   Photograph   obtained 
in  Palestine  hv  Rt/v.   Dr.  Talnia^e.  (43?) 


438  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

entry,  He  arose  early  from  His  lodging  in  Bethany  and  going  up  to  Jerusalem 
repaired  again  to  the  Temple.  His  appearance  on  the  Palm  Sunday  was  in  the 
assembly  chamber  of  the  Temple,  where  He  preached  to  the  people,  but  His 
second  visit  was  to  the  outer  court  of  the  Temple,  where  He  precipitated  a  scene 
of  scarcely  less  excitement.  Two  years  before  He  had  driven  out  the  mercenaries 
who  flocked  to  the  court  for  the  purpose  of  barter,  but  some  time  after  His  depar- 
ture they  returned  again,  by  permission  of  the  Temple  priests,  set  up  anew  their 
bazaars,  and  resumed  their  trade  in  the  selling  of  animals  and  doves  for  sacrifices, 
and  exchanging  money  ;  the  desecration  had  also  extended  to  the  conversion  of 
the  court  into  a  common  highway,  or  street,  over  which  passed  the  principal 
travel  between  the  upper  and  lower  parts  of  the  qity.  When  Jesus  beheld  again 
the  noisy  assemblage  of  buyers  and  sellers,  and  saw  how  the  profanation  of  the 
Temple  had  become  even  greater  than  before,  His  indignation  was  intense, 
exceeding  that  which  He  felt  when  He  first  discovered  the  base  uses  to  which  the 
Temple  had  been  converted,  and  with  scowling  brow  and  flashing  eye  of  holy 
indignation  He  again  descended  upon  the  desecrators  of  His  house,  and  with 
mighty  arm  overturned  the  tables  of  the  changers,  and  tore  down  the  booths  of 
those  that  sold  doves,  and  drove  out  the  herds  of  lowing  oxen,  and  of  bleating 
sheep,  and  the  men  who  owned  them,  shouting  to  the  dealers  the  while,  "My 
house  shall  be  called  a  house  of  prayer,  but  ye  have  made  it  a  den  of  thieves. ' ' 

This  act  of  Jesus  purifying  the  Temple  was  hardly  intended  as  a  punishment 
of  those  who  had  profaned  it  by  the  selling  of  sacrifices,  but  served  rather  as  a 
sign  of  the  early  fulfillment  of  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah,  who  lamented  over  the 
decay  of  the  nation  through  vanity  and  worldly  ambition,  which  he  declared 
would  ultimate,  in  the  possession  of  the  Temple  by  a  strange  people  who  would 
dispossess  the  Jews.  It  was  also  significant  of  the  wrath  of  God  for  the  iniquities 
of  the  priesthood,  who  had  subordinated  their  holy  functions  to  the  spirit  of  gain. 

After  clearing  the  courts.  He  again  entered  into  the  Temple  and  taught  the 
vast  crowd  that  had  there  assembled,  and  the  same  scenes  of  prayer  and  thanks- 
giving and  healing  which  characterized  the  day  before  were  re-enacted.  But  the 
Pharisees,  though  yet  afraid  to  seize  Him,  or  to  make  the  charges  which  they 
decided  to  prefer,  assumed  a  greater  boldness,  so  that,  at  the  conclusion  of  the  day's 
sennces,  Jesus  took  His  departure  secretly  and  with  the  Twelve  repaired  to  Bethany. 

Jerusalem  was  in  an  uproar,  and  especially  the  chief  priests.  Thousands 
had  acknowledged  Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  and  His  teachings  and  purification  of 
the  Temple  had  increased  enthusiasm  for  Him  just  in  proportion  that  it  had 
intensified  the  malicious  hatred  of  the  hierarchal  party.  The  priests  were  sup- 
posed to  exercise  a  vigilant  care  of  the  Temple,  and  to  hold  it  inviolate  for  sacred 
uses,  and  therefore  the  emphasis  with  which  Jesus  exposed  their  hypocrisy 
and  mercenary  promptings,  tlieir  patronizing  assumptions  and   airs  of  holiness. 


I 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE.  439 

associated  as  it  was  with  their  furtherance  of  a  profanation  of  the  Temple  for  the 
bribe  that  was  given  them,  created  in  them  fears  that  they  would  lose  the  respect 
of  the  people.  For  this  reason  they  deferred  a  presentation  of  their  charges 
against  Jesus  until  a  more  auspicious  hour. 

The  Open  Conflict. 

The  next  morning,  after  a  second  time  retiring  to  Bethany,  He  was  again  in 
the  Temple,  as  He  was  everyday  thereafter  until  the  day  preceding  His  arrest,  and 
renewed  His  preaching  to  the  people  regardless  of  the  dangers  which  were  rapidly 
gathering  about  Him.  Though  declaring  Himself  the  Messiah,  He  was  careful  to 
give  no  offence  to  the  Roman  government,  nor  was  it  in  the  nature  of  His  mission 
to  offend  against  any  law  ;  but,  nevertheless,  the  chief  priests  would  not  cease  their 
efforts  to  bring  Him  in  conflict  with  the  authorities,  hoping  to  secure  such  action 
from  these  as  would  lift  responsibility  from  themselves,  for  they  feared  a  conflict  with 
the  masses  of  Jews,  who  openly  confessed  their  devotion  to  Jesus.  In  pursuance, 
therefore,  of  their  plans,  while  Jesus  was  walking  through  the  Temple,  possibly 
on  His  way  to  the  altar.  He  was  rudely  intercepted  by  several  of  the  chief  priests, 
scribes  and  elders,  who  demanded  to  know  by  what  authority  He  drove  out  the 
dealers  and  money-changers,  and  by  whose  permission  did  He  preach  such  doctrines, 
and  at  whose  instigation  did  He  so  fiercely  condemn  the  empty  ceremonials  and  the 
vapid  prayers  and  the  meaningless  forms  of  worship  which  the  priests  practiced  ? 

To  their  churlish  inquiry  Jesus  returned  a  response  which  was  as  full  of  satire 
as  it  was  of  vexation  to  them.  Said  He,  "  Before  I  reply  to  you,  permit  Me  to 
ask  you  one  question,  which  if  you  will  answer  I  will  freely  tell  you  by  what 
authority  I  do  these  things  :  Was  the  baptism  of  John  from  heaven,  or  was  it  of 
man?"  The  priests  and  elders  dropped  their  heads  in  an  attitude  of  reflection, 
and  though  probably  tempted  to  answer,  caught  and  drew  back  the  reply  which 
they  had  intended  to  make,  for,  after  reasoning  awhile,  they  said  to  themselves  : 
"  If  we  say  from  heaven,  then  will  Jesus  ask  us  why  we  did  not  believe  Him? 
And  if  we  say  his  baptism  was  of  men,  then  will  the  people,  who  believed  John 
was  a  great  prophet,  probably  Isaiah  risen,  attack  us  and  drive  us  in  ignominy  from 
the  Temple. ' '  And  so  to  avoid  compromising  themselves,  they  answered,  ' '  We  can- 
not tell. "  "  Then, ' '  said  Jesus,  "  since  you  know  nothing  of  John's  mission,  having 
taken  no  means  to  inform  yourselves,  I  will  not  tell  you  by  whose  authority  I  act." 

Having  silenced  the  scribes  and  elders  by  the  confounding  answer  which  He 
made  to  their  impertinent  question,  Jesus  repaired  to  the  altar,  and,  having  in 
mind  the  inquiry  which  He  had  happily  replied  to,  related  a  parable  of 

The  Promise  Broken  and  the  Promise  Kept. 

A  certain  man  had  two  sons,  whose  services  he  greatly  needed  in  gathering 
the  crop  of  his  vineyard,  which  was  now  ripe.      He  was  very  anxious  that  they 


440  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

should  go  immediatel}',  for  there  was  an  immense  vintage,  which  if  not  gathered 
quickly  would  spoil  upon  the  vines.  Therefore  the  father  went  to  one  and  said, 
"Son,  go  to  work  to-day  in  my  vineyard."  But,  instead  of  obeying,  he  made  a 
flat  refusal.  He  answered,  "  I  won't  go;  if  father  wants  that  vineyard  looked 
after,  let  him  get  somebody  else  to  do  it,  or  else  attend  to  the  matter  himself.  I 
have  other  affairs  to  look  after."  But  after  a  while  he  began  to  soliloquize,  and 
said  within  himself :  "  I  wonder  if  this  is  treating  father  as  he  ought  to  be  treated  ? 
What  a  pity  it  would  be  to  have  all  those  grapes  spoil.  Isn't  it  mean  in  one  to 
refuse  to  do  that  which  is  so  very  reasonable  ?  Here,  I  am  not  ashamed  to  con- 
fess I  was  wrong,  and  I  will  just  go  and  attend  to  this  matter.  Father,  where  is 
the  knife  ?  and  at  what  end  of  the  arbor  do  you  want  me  to  begin  ? ' '  Bravo  !  It 
is  a  grand  thing  to  see  a  young  man,  or  an  old  man,  when  he  is  wrong,  to  confess 
it,  and  try  to  do  right.  I  want  nothing  to  do  with  a  man  who  does  not  know  how 
to  make  an  apology. 

And  the  father  went  to  his  second  son  and  asked  him  also  to  go  into  the  vine- 
yard, to  which  request  a  ready  reply  came:  "Yes,  sir;  I  will  go.  It  is  very 
right  that  I  should  serve  you.  Those  grapes  ought  to  be  picked.  You  will  be 
surprised  how  many  ripe  clusters  I  shall  gather  into  the  baskets  before  nightfall. 
Yes,  sir  ;  I  will  go,  father."  But  though  he  promised,  and  affected  a  gladness  to 
serve  his  father,  he  did  it  only  to  deceive,  for  he  had  no  intention  of  doing  any 
labor  in  the  vineyard  :  he  would  leave  the  crop  either  for  his  father  to  gather  or 
to  rot  on  the  vines. 

This  parable  was  given  to  illustrate  the  insincerities  of  many  who  are  ostensi- 
bly in  the  service  of  God,  and  is  applicable  to  thousands  to-day,  just  as  it  was 
appropriate  then  to  show  the  Jews  how  remiss  they  were  in  their  real  duties  and 
obligations  to  God.  Those  who  first  refused  obedience,  but  who  afterwards 
entered  willingly  into  the  work,  were  the  Jews  who  first  repented  at  the  call  of 
John  and  who  came  also  to  acknowledge  Jesus  because  of  the  deeds  He  did  show- 
ing His  true  Messiahship,  and  because  of  the  forcefulness  and  humaneness  of  His 
teaching. 

Those  who  promised  obedience  only  to  deceive,  were  the  priests  who  were 
teaching  in  the  Temple  while  practicing  all  manner  of  deceits,  who  were  using 
their  priestly  powers  for  selfish  interests,  to  the  demoralization  of  true  religion. 
And  Jesus  asked  them  which  of  the  two  sons  did  the  will  of  their  father,  to  which 
they  answered,  "The  first."  "Yes,"  said  Jesus,  "  and  veril}'  I  say  unto  you, 
that  the  publicans  and  the  harlots  go  into  the  kingdom  of  God  before  you. 
For  John  came  unto  you  in  the  waj^  of  righteousness  and  ye  believed  him  not ; 
but  the  publicans  and  the  harlots  believed  him  ;  and  ye  when  ye  had  seen  it, 
relented  not  afterwards  that  ye  might  believe  him." 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


441 


The  Wicked  Husbandmen. 

And  seeing  the  scribes  and  the  rabbis  silent  under  the  illustration  of  their 
hypocrisies,  Jesus  related  to  them  another  parable,  thus  : 

A  certain  proprietor  planted  a  vineyard  and  prepared  it  in  the  most  costly 
manner  by  setting  out  a  hedge,  or  building  a  wall  around  it  to  keep  out  depreda- 
tors, and  he  made  a  wine-press,  and  a  cellar  in  which  to  store  the  wine,  and 
erected  a  tower  in  which  to  station  guards  to  protect  the  crop,  and  having  thus 
made  it  a  splendid  vineyard,  he  rented  it  to  husbandmen,  or  wine  growers,  for  a 
percentage  of  the  product,  after  which  he  went  away  on  a  long  journey.  When 
the  .season  of  vintage  arrived  the  proprietor  sent  three  of  his  servants  to  the 
tenants  with  in- 


structions  to 
collect  his  law- 
ful share  of  the 
crop.  But  when 
the  servants 
came  to  ask  for 
the  owner's 
share,  the  wick- 
ed  husband- 
men, or  ten- 
ants, .set  upon 
them,  killing 
one,  and  beat 
the  two  others 
with  sticks  and 
stones  until 
they  were  glad 

to  escape  with  their  lives.  The  owner,  having  heard  the  report  of  the  man- 
ner in  which  those  whom  he  fir.st  sent  had  been  treated,  was,  no  doubt,  very 
angry  and  disappointed,  but  instead  of  bringing  the  husbandmen  to  justice 
for  their  brutality,  he  sent  a  half-dozen  other  collectors  on  the  same  errand,  but 
these  were  as  mercilessly  treated  as  the  first  three  had  been.  But  though  his  ser- 
vants had  been  most  shamefuU}'  abused,  still  the  owner  was  patient,  having  no 
desire  to  resort  to  extreme  measures,  so  he  thought  over  the  matter,  how  he  should 
collect  his  .share  of  the  crop,  until  a  happy  idea  came  to  him  :  "I  will  .send  my 
son  ;  certainly  the  hu.sbandmen  will  have  respect  for  him.  It  may  be  that  my 
servants  were  too  importunate  or  insulting  in  their  demands,  or  perhaps  the  ten- 
ants questioned  their  authority  and  were  provoked  into  rage.  But  I  know  that  my 
son  has  an  amiable  disposition  and  he  will  give  no  occasion   for  offence  ;  besides, 


WINK   AND   ()I,1\  1: 


lMvH.S.S. 


-442  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

the  husbandmen  will  be  more  disposed  to  treat  with  him  because  they  will  imme- 
diately recognize  his  authority."  And  so  the  proprietor  of  the  vineyard  sent  his 
son.  But  the  father  was  woefully  disappointed,  for  as  soon  as  the  husbandmen 
saw  the  young  man  approaching,  one  of  them  said,  "  lyook,  here  comes  the  heir 
of  this  vineyard  ;  what  a  splendid  opportunity  we  now  have  to  forever  rid  ourselves 
of  further  annoyance,  and  make  ourselves  wealthy  at  the  same  time  ;  let  us  kill 
him  and  seize  on  his  inheritance."  And  they  acted  on  this  horrible  suggestion, 
for  when  the  son  came  to  respectfully  ask  for  his  father's  share  of  the  fruits,  they 
fell  upon  him,  and  with  brutal  force  carried  him  beyond  the  walls  of  the  vine- 
yard and  killed  him. 

Having  related  the  parable,  Jesus  paused  a  moment  and  then  asked  His 
hearers:  "When  the  lord  of  the  vineyard  cometh,  what  shall  he  do  to  those 
wicked  husbandmen  ?  ' '  And  some  of  His  audience  who  saw  the  application  of 
the  parable  and  understood  the  lesson  which  it  conveyed,  answered,  "  He  will 
miserabl}^  destroy  those  wicked  men,  and  will  let  out  his  vineyard  to  other  hus- 
bandmen which  shall  render  him  their  fruits  in  season." 

The  rabbis  affected  unconsciousness  of  the  meaning  of  the  parable,  but  it  was 
only  because  they  fully  realized  how  strongly  the  lesson  condemned  them.  They 
well  knew  that  the  vineyard  represented  God's  kingdom,  and  that  the  wicked 
husbandmen  who  had  killed  the  servants  were  none  other  than  those  who  had 
slain  the  prophets  and  to  whose  office  they  (the  rabbis)  had  succeeded.  These, 
Jesus  thus  showed,  entertained  the  same  prejudices  and  were  as  virulent  in  their 
enmity  to  true  righteousness  as  were  the  old  enemies  of  the  prophets,  and  that  the 
day  was  near  at  hand  when  they  would  slay  even  that  Son  sent  by  the  Father, 
just  as  they  had  killed  John. 

"  Did  you  never  read,"  asked  Jesus  of  His  imperturbable  listeners,  "  that  the 
stone  which  the  builders  rejected,  the  same  is  become  the  head  of  the  corner? 
Therefore  I  say  unto  you,  the  kingdom  of  God  (of  which  I  am  the  corner-stone, 
which  you  have  rejected),  shall  be  taken  from  you,  and  given  to  a  nation  bring- 
ing forth  the  fruits  thereof.  And  whosoever  shall  fall  on  this  stone  shall  be 
broken  ;  but  on  whomsoever  it  shall  fall  it  shall  grind  him  to  powder. ' ' 

This  aroused  the  sullen  spirit  of  the  Pharisees  and  excited  them  to  a  new 
desire  to  destroy  Jesus,  but  their  fears  of  the  people  restrained  them  from  offering 
Him  violence,  and  they  relapsed  into  their  old  scowling  attitude,  awaiting  a  favor- 
able time  to  seize  and  execute  Him, 

As  Jesus  gave  the  rabbis,  Pharisees  and  scribes  to  understaiKi  they  would  at 
last  be  brought  to  punishment  for  their  resistance  to  God's  laws,  and  for  their 
prostitution  of  holy  offices,  and  their  murderous  designs  prompted  by  covetousness, 
venality  and  worldly  ambitions,  He  related  another  parable  in  which  this  assurance 
was  accentuated. 


444  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

The  Great  Wedding  Feast. 

The  kingdom  of  heaven,  said  Jesus,  may  be  likened  to  a  certain  king  who 
made  a  great  feast  in  celebration  of  the  wedding  of  his  son.  Preparations  had 
been  completed  on  a  grand  scale  and  a  large  number  of  invitations  were  sent  out 
to  people  whom  the  king  desired  should  rejoice  with  him.  To  his  disappointment 
and  mortification,  however,  when  he  sent  his  servants  out  to  bid  those  whom  he 
had  invited  to  come  to  the  feast,  not  one  responded.  Surprised  and  unable  to 
understand  why  his  hospitality  was  rejected,  he  told  several  of  his  other  servants 
to  go  again  to  those  that  had  been  bidden,  and  to  beg  of  them  to  come,  for  the 
oxen  and  the  calves  and  the  sheep  had  been  killed  and  the  feast  was  ready,  and 
that  the  bride  and  groom  were  being  kept  waiting  by  their  tardiness.  But  the 
expected  guests  not  only  treated  the  king's  invitation  with  contempt,  and  answered 
scornfully,  but  those  who  had  not  returned  to  their  several  employments  seized 
the  servants  and  killed  them.  This  outrage  so  angered  the  king  that  he  sent  his 
troops  to  execute  a  terrible  vengeance  upon  those  who  had  killed  his  servants. 

But  the  king,  having  prepared  a  feast,  was  determined  that  there  should  not 
be  wanting  guests  to  enjoy  it,  so  he  sent  messengers  out  again  and  bid  them  invite 
to  the  marriage  every  person  whom  they  could  find,  regardless  of  social  distinc- 
tions or  conditions,  whether  good  or  bad,  rich  or  poor,  young  or  old.  In  this  way 
the  complement  of  guests  was  completed,  and  the  king's  desire  fulfilled.  When 
the  feasting  was  ready  to  begin,  the  king  entered,  dressed  in  a  royal  robe,  to  give 
hearty  welcome,  as  was  the  custom,  to  those  who'  had  gathered  at  his  invitation, 
He  went  from  one  to  another,  saluting  each  in  the  most  hospitable  manner,  until 
he  came  to  one  who  had  not  clothed  himself  with  a  wedding  robe.  And  he  said 
to  the  man,  in  a  tone  of  compassion  :  "  Friend,  why  is  it  that  you  appear  at  the 
feast  without  the  badge  of  invitation — a  marriage  robe  such  as  I  have  provided 
for  all  who  were  bidden  ? ' '  Unable  to  answer,  because  his  own  negligence  had 
brought  him  to  this  sorry  embarrassment,  he  stood  speechless  before  his  questioner. 
' '  Then  said  the  king  to  his  servants,  Bind  him  hand  and  foot  and  take  him  away, 
and  cast  him  into  outer  darkness  ;  there  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 
For  many  are  called,  but  few  are  chosen." 

The  parable  thus  given  represents  the  invitation  which  God,  the  king,  had 
given  to  the  Jews,  and  the  messengers  were  John  and  the  apostles,  who  had  been 
sent  forth  to  extend  an  invitation  to  prepare  for  the  kingdom  of  God.  Those  who 
had  contemptuously  refused  the  king's  hospitality  were  those  Jews  who  had 
rejected  the  Son  and  destroyed  John,  and  who  would  be  punished  in  God's  own 
time  for  their  crimes.  The  guests  who  were  afterwards* brought  in  from  the  high- 
ways, and  from  whatever  place  that  they  could  be  found,  were  both  the  Jews  and 
Gentiles,  to  whom  alike  God  extended  His  mercies,  while  the  guest  who  was 
unprovided  with  a  wedding  garment  represented  those  who  afiected  only  an  outer 
appearance  of  righteousness. 


ai 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

DISCUSSION   WITH    THE   SADDUCEES. 

'HIPPED  ill  every  debate,  confounded  in  every  question,  condemned 
in  every  illustration,  the  three  most  powerful  bodies  of  the  hier- 
archy, the  rabbis,  scribes  and  elders,  were  for  a  while  at  a  loss  how 
further  to  proceed  against  Jesus,  whose  trenchant  blade  of  ready 
answer,  sublime  wisdom  and  masterly  power  of  prefigurement  put  them  to  con- 
fusion whenever  they  opened  their  mouths  either  to  criticise  or  to  question  Him. 
Feeling  their  inability  to  cope  with  Him  before  the  people,  and  unwilling  to  meet 
further  mortification  at  His  hands,  these  enemies  decided  to  renew  their  efforts 
towards  compromising  Him  with  the  Roman  authorities.  With  this  purpose  the 
Pharisees  decided  to  join  hands  with  the  Sadducees,  and  enlisting  the  latter,  who 
had  thus  far  taken  no  part  in  the  Temple  disputes,  through  them  some  obscure 
Jews  were  engaged  to  affect  an  air  of  great  piety,  and  to  go  to  Jesus  in  an 
outward  spirit  of  sincere  desire  for  instruction,  with  request  for  enlightenment 
upon  some  question  of  a  political  nature,  which  they  hoped  would  elicit  from 
Him  a  reply  that  would  betray  His  contempt  for  Caesar.  They  understood  how 
yielding  was  the  nature  of  Pilate,  the  procurator,  and  that  the  slightest  word 
spoken  in  disrespect  of  the  Emperor  might  be  made  an  excuse  for  the  arrest  of 
Jesus  by  the  national  authorities.  In  pursuance  of  this  scheme  to  snare  Jesus,  a 
party  of  Jews  thus  engaged  came  to  Him  and  obsequiously  asked,  "Master,  we 
know  that  Thou  art  true,  and  carest  for  no  man,  for  Thou  regardest  not  the 
person  of  men,  but  teachest  rightly  the  way  of  God  in  truth  :  tell  us,  therefore, 
what  thinkest  Thou.  Is  it  lawful  for  us  to  give  tribute  to  Caesar  or  no  ?  Shall 
we  give  or  shall  we  not  give  ? ' ' 

The  delegation  now  before  Jesus  was  composed  of  persons  whom  He  did  not 
know.  Their  professions  of  sincerity  indicated  that  they  were  of  the  large  mass 
of  believers  in  Him,  and  that,  foreseeing  the  conflict  which  must  soon  come  and 
speedily  end  either  in  the  establishment  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  in  accordance 
with  the  expectation  and  traditions  of  the  Jews,  or  the  death  of  Jesus,  that  they 
really  desired  to  know  how  much  they  owed  to  the  authority  of  Caesar.  But 
Christ  saw  the  craftiness  of  His  questioners,  and  was  ready  with  reply  to  baffle 
them,  just  as  he  had  so  many  times  before  disconcerted  the  most  distinguished 
heads  of  the  hierarchy.  Thus  He  answered  them:  "Why  tempt  ye  Me,  ye 
hypocrites?     Show  Me  the  tribute  money;  bring  Me  a  penny,  that  I  may  see 

(445) 


446  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

it;"   and  they  brought  unto  Him  a  penny.     And  He  said  unto  them,  "Whose 

image  and  superscription  is  this  stamped  upon  this  coin  ?  "     They  say  unto  Him, 

'•'  It  is  Caesar's."     Then  said  He  unto  them,  "  Render  therefore  unto  Caesar  the 

things  which  are  Caesar's  ;  and  unto  God,  the  things  that  are  God's.     And  they 

marveled   at    His  answer,  and  held  their  peace,   and  left  Him,  and  went  their 

way." 

In  the  reply  which  Jesus  made  He  avoided  any  offending  against  the  Romish 

spirit,  and  yet  how  thoroughly  is  there  expressed  the  duty  which  the  Jews  owed  to 

God,  and  inferentially  His  own  superiority  to  Caesar,  to  whom  was  due  the  tribute 

tax,  which  the  Jews  were  to  pay  only  so  long  as  they  accepted  him  as  king,  while 

Jesus  reserved  to  Himself  those  higher  digniti"es  and  rights  which  belong  to  the 

King  of  heaven. 

No  Marrying  in  Heaven. 

So  complete  was  their  discomfiture  that  the  Herodian  spies  and  the  Jewish 
hypocrites  who  thought  to  bring  Jesus  into  conflict  with  the  national  authorities 
retired  without  desire  to  again  test  His  wisdom  and  cutting  sarcasm.  But  the 
Sadducees  would  now  put  their  cunning  against  the  prudence,  sagacity  and 
inspiration  of  Jesus.  They  had  not  met  Him  in  discussion,  and  had  not  therefore 
such  a  measurement  of  His  capacities  as  the  Pharisees.  They  had  thought  over 
various  means  of  annoying  Jesus,  and  finally  concluded  that  they  could  propound 
a  question  which  would  so  embarass  as  to  completely  quiet  and  abash  Him  before 
the  people.  So,  on  the  same  day,  several  of  the  wisest  or  most  self-conceited  of 
the  Sadducees  approached  Him  and  asked,  "Master,  Moses  wrote  unto  us,  if  a 
a  man  die,  having  a  wife,  and  without  children,  his  brother  shall  marry  his  wife 
and  raise  up  seed  unto  his  brother.  Now,  there  were  with  us  seven  brothers; 
and  the  first  took  a  wife  and  died  without  children,  and  left  his  wife  to  his 
brother  ;  and  the  second  took  her  to  wife,  and  he  died  childless.  And  the  third 
took  her  ;  and  in  like  manner  the  seven  also  :  and  they  had  no  children  and  died. 
Last  of  all  the  woman  died  also.  In  the  resurrection,  therefore,  when  they  shall 
rise,  whose  wife  shall  she  be  of  them  ?  for  the  seven  had  her  to  wife. 

The  Sadducees  denied  that  there  was  any  resurrection.  They  were  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  Pharisees,  who  claimed  to  have  from  Moses  an  oral  law  declaring  the 
resurrection  of  the  body  after  death,  and  this  question  was  so  fiercely  debated 
between  the  two  sects  that  they  were  almost  as  bitter  enemies  as  were  the  Jews 
and  the  Samaritans.  And  yet  violent  as  their  differences  were,  the  two  adopted  a 
temporary  truce  in  order  to  make  a  common  war  on  Jesus,  though  the  Sadducees 
did  not  join  so  vigorously  in  the  demand  for  his  execution.  But  opposing  the 
teachings  of  Jesus,  and  especially  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  of  the  body, 
the  questioners  chuckled  to  themselves  over  the  problem  which  they  had  pro- 
pounded, and  a  solution  of  which  they  considered  impossible. 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE  447 

The  question  was  one  which  at  any  time  might  arise  to  perplex  the  Jews,  so 
Jesus  would  not  withhold  an  answer.  Said  He,  "  You  are  in  error,  since  you  do 
not  understand  the  Scripture,  nor  the  laws  which  Moses  gave.  It  is  true  that 
Moses  gave  the  law  as  you  have  stated,  but  your  ignorance  consists  in  limiting 
everything  to  affairs  of  this  world.  When  men  die,  they  rise  again  under  new 
conditions,  so  that  in  heaven  they  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in  marriage,  but 
become  angels.  Marriage  is  an  institution  of  this  earth,  ordained  by  God  for  the 
prosperity  of  the  race  ;  but  in  heaven  there  is  no  such  ordainment,  for  there  all  are 
angels  in  universal  brotherhood  and  sisterhood.  Persons  are  born  and  they  die 
here  ;  there  are  no  births  or  deaths  in  heaven.  Here  there  is  thirst,  and  hunger, 
and  physical  vexations,  and  unsatisfied  longings  ;  but  in  heaven  there  is  not.  So 
that  these  differences  between  the  material  and  spiritual  life  are  such  that  there 
can  be  no  such  thing  as  husband  and  wife  in  heaven.  But  you  also  err  in  your 
beliefs  respecting  the  resurrection,  for  Moses,  whom  you  so  highly  regard  as  the 
giver  of  the  laws  which  you  observe,  did  show  the  resurrection  of  the  body  ;  for 
have  you  not  read  that  which  was  spoken  unto  you  by  God,  in  the  book  of  Moses, 
how  in  the  bush  God  spake  to  him,  saying,  '  I  am  the  God  of  Abraham,  and  of 
Isaac,  and  of  Jacob  ?  '  God  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living  :  for  all 
live  unto  Him." 

The  answer,  so  explicitly  spoken,  even  won  the  admiration  of  the  scribes, 

who   condescended    to   compliment   Jesus,    saying,    "  Master,    Thou    hast   well 

said." 

Another  Attempt  to  Puzzle  Christ. 

When  the  Pharisees  saw  how  Jesus  had  vanquished  the  Sadducees,  they  put 
forth  a  lawyer,  or  one  of  the  most  learned  rabbis,  to  ask  another  question,  an 
answer  to  which  appeared  to  them  either  impossible  or  such  as  would  present  Him 
in  conflict  with  God  Himself.  The  lawyer  therefore  asked  Him,  "  Master,  which 
is  the  first  commandment  of  all — the  one  great  commandment  of  the  ten  given  ?  " 
If  God  gave  all  of  the  ten  commandments,  how  could  one  be  greater  than  another  ? 
If  God  be  perfect,  so  must  all  His  laws  be  perfect :  hence,  as  there  can  be  no 
comparison  of  perfect,  each  law  must  be  equally  important,  and  none  can  be 
the  greatest. 

It  was  thus  that  the  Pharisees  argued  among  themselves,  and  the  little 
lawyer,  who  was  a  scribe,  when  he  stood  up  to  put  the  question,  must  have 
felt  several  sizes  larger  than  he  really  was,  though  in  the  end  he  no  doubt 
felt  as  many  sizes  too  large  for  himself.  The  balloon  is  very  round  when 
full,  but  when  punctured  it  falls  down  very  flat. 

But  though  Jesus  knew  the  question  was  put  to  tempt  Him,  with  the  hope 
of  embarrassing  Him,  and  to  destroy  the  popularity  in  which  He  was  held,  He 
nevertheless  promptly  answered.      "  Hear,   O  Israel  :  The  Lord  our  God  is  one 


448  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

Lord  :  and  thou  shalt  love  Him  with  all  thy  heart,  soul,  mind  and  strength. 
This  is  the  first  and  great  commandment,  and  the  second  is  like  unto  it :  Thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.  On  these  two  hang  all  the  law  and  prophets." 
Jesus  had  answered  this  same  question  when  the  rich  young  man  came  to  Him  asking 
what  he  should  do  to  be  saved  ;  but  the  present  reply,  made  to  the  lawyer,  had  a 
new  significance,  for  it  served  to  show  the  departure  of  Israel  from  the  true 
worship  of  God.  The  question  was  certainly  put  to  perplex,  but  the  answer  was 
so  definite  and  conclusive  that  even  the  questioner  himself  was  soulfuUy  impressed 
by  it,  since  it  gave  by  inference  this  explanation  of  the  superiority  of  these  two 
over  the  other  eight  commandments  :  God's  laws  are  perfect  ;  so  is  the  human 
body  perfect,  every  part  being  essential  to  the  whole,  and  the  adjustment  of  each 
limb  and  organ  is  so  wisely  made  that  an  injury  to  one  becomes  an  impairment  of 
all.  But  if  an  arm  be  cut  off  the  functions  of  the  body  may  continue,  though  the 
whole  organism  of  the  man  is  affected  by  the  injury,  because  he  is  not  able  to 
minister  so  thoroughly  to  the  needs  of  the  body  as  he  was  before.  But  if  the 
head  be  cut  off  the  man  must  at  once  perish.  This  illustrates  how  the  first  com- 
mandment may  be  regarded  as  the  head  of  the  whole  law  without  any  disparage- 
ment of  the  other  commands,  and  in  this  sense  the  lawyer  evidently  understood 
it,  for  his  arrogant  spirit  was  immediately  humbled  and  his  heart  seems  to  have 
been  suddenly  illumined  by  the  divine  sunlight  of  righteous  understanding. 
Therefore  he  replied,  "Master,  Thou  hast  said  the  truth,  for  there  is  one  God, 
and  none  other  but  He  ;  and  to  love  Him  with  all  the  heart,  strength,  mind  and 
soul,  and  our  neighbor  as  ourselves,  is  more  than  all  burnt-offerings  and 
sacrifices."  He  had  read  this  declaration  of  the  old  prophet,  and  had  possibly 
heard  its  re-enforcement  by  Jesus,  and  his  conscience  was  thoroughly  impressed 
by  its  truth.  Seeing  how  sincere  was  the  lawyer's  faith,  Jesus  said  to  Him, 
"Thou  art  not  far  from  the  Kingdom  of  God." 

How  is  Christ  the  Son  of  David. 

Having  answered  the  most  perplexing  questions  that  the  Pharisees  and  Sad- 
ducees  could  put  to  Him,  Jesus  now  turned  inquirer  by  asking  them,  "What 
think  ye  of  Christ ?  Whose  Son  is  He?"  And  they  answered,  "The  Son  of 
David."  Jesus  knew  what  their  reply  would  be,  and  therefore  understood  how 
He  might  embarrass  them,  by  showing  their  ignorance.  In  many  of  the  old 
prophecies  Christ  was  called  the  Son  of  David.  It  will  be  remembered  how  more 
than  once  the  people  when  astounded  by  His  miracles  said  to  one  another,  "  Is 
not  this  the  Son  of  David  ?  "  and  how  the  Syrophoenician  wonian,  and  the  two 
blind  beggars  at  Capernaum,  and  blind  Bartimeus  of  Jericho  called  for  the  mercy 
of  the  Son  of  David,  and  that  the  people  welcoming  Him  into  Jerusalem  on  Palm 
Sunday  shouted  "  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David."     The  belief    that  the  Messiah 


FROM    MANGRR   TO   THRONE.  449 

should  be  the  Son  of  David  sprang  out  of  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah  (xi.)  and  of 
Jeremiah  (xxiii.)  and  of  Zechariah  (vi.),  and  the  Jews  were  led  to  look  forward 
to  the  establishment  of  the  monarchy  under  the  leadership  of  this  "  Branch  which 
shall  grow  out  of  the  root  of  Jesse, ' '  by  the  glory  foreshadowed  by  Isaiah  in  the 
prophecy,  "  Behold  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  raise  unto  David 
a  righteous  Branch,  and  a  king  shall  reign  and  prosper,  and  shall  execute 
judgment  and  justice  on  the  earth.  In  his  day  Judah  shall  be  saved,  and  Israel 
shall  dwell  safely  :  and  this  is  His  name  whereby  He  shall  be  called,  '  The  Lord 
our  Righteousness  !  '  "  But  the' Jews  failed  to  comprehend  the  spiritual  nature 
of  Christ,  all  their  thoughts  being  wedded  to  a  material  king  who  would  come  of 
Davidic  lineage,  to  found  a  kingdom  in  which  their  sensual  enjoj-ments  would 
find  fullest  gratification.  To  dispel  the  prevailing  belief  in  a  fulfillment  of  such 
earthly  ambitions,  and  to  give  the  Jews  a  knowledge  of  the  true  nature  of  the 
"  Lord  our  Righteousness,"  Jesus  referred  His  hearers  to  the  testimony  of  David 
himself,  "  for  David  in  the  Book  of  Psalms  (ex.)  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  calls  Him 
Lord,  saying,  '  The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,  sit  thou  on  my  right  hand,  till  I 
make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool  ?  '  David  therefore  himself  calleth  Him  Lord, 
and  how  is  He  then  his  Son  ?  ' '  Christ  is  thus  at  once  the  Son  of  David  and  the 
Son  of  God  in  one.     But  how  can  it  be  ? 

The  question  which  Jesus  thus  asked  is  one  which  not  only  puzzled  the 
Pharisees,  who  confessed  their  ignorance  by  making  no  reply,  but  one  which  the 
most  learned  of  men  have  been  unable  to  answer.  It  has  continued  and  will  ever 
remain  the  great  insolvable  problem  of  the  ages,  a  mystery  which  belongs  to  the 
Deity,  to  be  unfolded  only  in  the  great  future.  By  human  reasoning,  we  can  only 
adopt  a  half-satisfying  explanation  by  accepting  Christ  in  a  dual  nature  as  the 
Son  of  David  by  earthly  lineage,  and  as  the  Son  of  God  by  His  spiritual  genera- 
tion. 

A  Scathing  Anathema. 

Jesus  had  stood  on  the  defensive,  but  He  had  so  effectually  repulsed  His 
enemies  at  every  point  of  attack  that  He  felt  the  occasion  was  now  presented  for  a 
more  vigorous  arraignment  of  His  adversaries  whom  He  would  expo.se  before  the 
people  for  their  irreligion  and  immoralities  practiced  under  the  ma.sk  of  priestly 
duties.  He  knew  tliat  the  time  of  His  offering-up  drew  near,  and  He  would  now 
hasten  an  end  to  the  conflict.  But  we  stand  in  wondering  amazement  at  the  fear- 
less attitude  He  occupies  before  the  powerful  men  of  the  nation,  and  lift  our  mnids 
from  consideration  of  Him  as  a  man,  to  the  contemplation  of  Him  as  a  God, 
While  "  the  people  heard  Him  gladly,"  His  friends  were  not  those  having  power 
to  defend  Him  against  the  tides  of  bitter  rancor  and  murderous  persecution  that 
were  rolling  towards  Him,  receding  a  little  way  from  time  to  time,  but  only  to 
gain  greater  impetuo.sity  and  to  the  more  certainly  engulf  Him.  He  .saw  the 
29 


450  FROM    MANGER   TO  THRONE. 

waves  of  tumult.  He  noted  their  foamy  crests,  He  felt  the  spray  dashing  in  His 
face,  but  He  stood  immovable  on  the  shore  of  mercy,  forgiveness  and  loyalty  to 
God,  and  defied  the  mad  breakers  of  iniquity.  We  see  Him  as  a  pale  Nazarene, 
conscious  of  the  tragic  fate  that  would  terminate  His  ministry  three  days  later, 
standing  alone  before  the  great  rulers,  the  learned  men  of  the  nation,  the 
powerful  chiefs  of  the  hierarchy,  a  sea  of  faces  is  before  Him,  in  which  He 
observes  images  of  hate,  of  contumely,  of  rage,  of  murder  ;  enemies  everywhere, 
not  only  about  the  sacred  altar,  and  crowding  the  sanctuary,  and  filling  the  halls 
of  council,  but  also  in  the  palace,  among  the  soldiery  and  in  the  governor's 
chamber.  And  yet  amid  all  these  threatening  surroundings  Jesus  is  of  all  that 
audience  the  least  excited,  the  most  resolute,  and  the  fiery  accuser.  It  was  His 
last  appearance  as  a  teacher,  in  the  Temple,  and  a  better  sermon  He  never 
preached.  He  would  denounce  the  scribes  and  rabbis  to  the  people  to  emancipate 
them  from  the  cruel  thraldom  under  which  they  suffered,  therefore  spake  Jesus 
somewhat  in  this  wise  :  ' '  The  scribes  and  the  Pharisees  sit  in  Moses'  seat.  Youi 
priests  preach  that  which  they  fail  to  practice.  They  lay  upon  you  the  burdens 
of  senseless  proscriptions  and  bind  you  to  meaningless  ceremonies,  and  exact  of 
you  large  payments  which  they  use  for  their  sensual  enjoyments,  nor  do  they 
observe  the  oppressive  rituals  which  they  order  you  to  obey.  Whatever  they  do 
of  a  pious  nature  is  done  publicly  that  they  may  obtain  your  praises,  and  to 
deceive  ycu  by  exciting  your  belief  in  their  righteousness.  Beware  of  the  scribes 
who  make  their  phylacteries  broad,  and  enlarge  the  borders  of  their  garments, 
and  walk  in  long  robes,  and  who  crowd  in  and  occupy  the  seats  of  honor  at  the 
feasts  and  in  synagogues,  and  who  expect  to  be  called  Master.  All  these  they 
do  manifesting  their  delight  in  their  pre-eminence  above  you,  as  lords  do  in  the 
subjection  of  their  slaves.  This  I  tell  you  is  putting  religion  on  dress-parade, 
and  they  make  of  themselves  drum-majors  in  the  procession.  But  you  should 
call  no  man  rabbi,  for  only  one  is  your  Master,  and  I  am  He.  And  call  no  man 
father  on  earth,  for  only  one  is  your  Father,  which  is  in  heavey.  For  I  tell  you 
that  he  who  is  greatest  among  you  now  shall  become  your  servant." 

Having  addressed  His  disciples  and  those  who  were  His  friends,  Jesus  turned 
directly  to  His  enemies  and  bombarded  them  with  bitter  denunciation  for  their 
Iniquities,  and  a  profanation  of  the  service  for  which  the  priesthood  had  been 
established,  and  of  the  Temple  which  they  had  turned  into  a  house  of  riot,  oppres- 
sion and  gain.  Said  He,  "  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites  !  for 
ye  shut  up  the  kingdom  of  heaven  against  men  ;  for  ye  neither  go  in  yourselves, 
neither  sufier  ye  them  that  are  entering  to  go  in. ' '  And  with  equally  bitter 
condemnings  He  accused  them  of  devouring  the  substance  of  widows,  under  the 
guise  of  extreme  sanctity  and  sacred  guardianship,  and  of  all  manner  of  selfish 
ambitions,   such  as  pride,   and  covetousness,   and  self-conceit,   and  of  desiring 


MODERN  EASTER  PILGRIMAGE  TO  BETHLEHEM. — From  The  Christian  Herald. 

U5i) 


452  FROM   MANGKR  TO  THRONE. 

applause  from  their  deceived  followers  ;  and  of  exacting  tithes  to  support  them  in 
evil  ways,  and  of  showing  signs  of  extreme  piety,  but  only  to  mask  the  deformity 
of  their  hearts  which  were  overflowing  with  extortion,  rapacity,  ungodliness  and 
excess  of  every  kind.  "Woe  unto  you,"  said  He,  "for  you  are  like  whited 
sepulchres,  which  indeed  appear  beautiful  outward,  but  are  within  full  of  dead 
men's  bones,  and  of  all  uncleanness.  Ye  outwardly  appear  righteous  unto  men, 
but  within  ye  are  full  of  hypocrisy  and  iniquity.  Woe  unto  you,  because  ye 
build  the  tombs  of  the  prophets,  and  garnish  the  sepulchres  of  the  righteous,  and 
say,  '  If  we  had  been  in  the  days  of  our  fathers,  we  would  not  have  been  partakers 
with  them  in  the  blood  of  the  prophets.'  Wherefore  ye  be  witnesses  unto  your- 
selves, that  ye  are  the  children  of  them  which  killed  the  prophets.  Fill  ye  up  the 
measure  of  your  fathers.  Ye  serpents,  ye  generation  of  vipers,  how  can  ye  escape 
the  damnation  of  hell  ?  ' ' 

"  Wherefore,  behold,  I  send  unto  you  prophets,  and  wise  men,  and  scribes  ; 
and  some  of  them  ye  shall  kill  and  crucify,  and  some  of  them  ye  shall  scourge  in 
your  synagogues,  and  persecute  them  from  city  to  city  ;  that  upon  you  may  come 
all  the  righteous  blood  shed  upon  the  earth,  from  the  blood  of  righteous  Abel^ 
unto  the  blood  of  Zacharias,  whom  ye  slew  between  the  Temple  and  the  altar. 
Verily  I  say  unto  you.  All  these  things  shall  come  upon  this  generation." 

Murder  of  the  Apostles. 

How  soon  came  to  pass  a  verification  of  this  terrible  prophecy  : 

St.  Stephen,  stoned  to  death  outside  the  walls  of  Jerusalem,  having  thus  the 
honor  of  being  the  first  Christian  martyr. 

St.  Peter,  crucified  head  downward  in  Rome. 

St.  Thomas,  killed  by  a  lance-thrust  while  preaching. 

St.  Matthew,  burned  alive  in  Arabia  Felix. 

St.  Mark,  killed  in  his  church  in  Alexandria. 

St.  Matthias,  chosen  to  fill  the  place  of  Judas,  killed  in  Ethiopia. 

St.  Andrew,  crucified  at  Patrea,  in  Achaia. 

St.  Bartholomew,  roasted  and  then  flayed  alive  at  Albanopolis. 

St.  John,  banished  to  Patmos. 

And  if  we  had  the  full  history  of  the  apostles  we  would  no  doubt  know  that 
at  least  ten  of  them  became  martyrs  to  the  faith,  and  love  and  loyalty  which  they 
manifested  for  their  lyord. 

No  wonder  that  Jesus,  foreseeing  these  things,  should  break  forth  in  lamen- 
tation, "  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  thou  that  killest  the  prophets,  and  stonest  them 
which  are  sent  unto  thee,  how  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together 
even  as  a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ye  would  not.  Behold 
your  house  is  left;  unto  you  desolate.  For  I  say  unto  you,  Ye  shall  not  see  Me 
henceforth  till  ye  shall  say.  Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  L,ord." 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE    POOR    woman's    MITE. 

FTER  delivering  His  withering  denunciation  against  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees,  Jesus  left  the  Outer  Court  and  passed  into  the  Court  of 
the  Women,  where  stood  thirteen  chests  arranged  along  one  side,  in 
which  the  Jews  deposited,  as  freewill  offerings,  whatever  contri- 
butions their  ability  or  generosity  prompted.  There  was  a  stream  of  people 
passing  along  through  this  court,  which  was  also  called  the  treasury,  and  here 
Jesus  took  a  seat  beside  one  of  the  pillars,  evidently  with  the  purpose  of  watching 
with  what  spirit  contributions  to  the  support  of  the  poor  and  the  Temple  priests 
were  being  made.  He  noticed  that  the  arrogant,  self-important  and  self-righteous 
air  which  distinguished  the  Pharisees  when  the}'  went  up  to  pray  was  not  lacking 
here,  for  as  the  rich  approached  the  chests  it  was  with  great  pomposity  and  effort 
to  attract  attention  to  the  liberality  of  their  offerings.  Presently,  however,  Jesus 
descries  a  woman,  dressed  in  the  garb  of  widowhood,  timidly  advancing,  and 
having  every  appearance  of  poverty.  He  watches  her,  because  she  exhibits  so 
much  humbleness,  and  so  much  sh3mess,  and  so  much  desire  to  avoid  notice. 
What  can  be  the  cause  of  her  embarrassment,  her  hesitation,  her  uncertainty, 
which  seem  to  justify  suspicion  as  to  the  purpose  which  brought  her  into  the 
treasury  court?  Has  she  committed,  or  does  she  contemplate  a  crime?  The  eye 
of  Jesus  is  upon  her,  watching  every  faltering  step,  until  in  a  moment  when  the 
woman  thinks  no  one  will  obsen^e  her  she  deposits  in  one  of  the  chests  her  volun- 
tary offering  of  two  mites,  a  coin  so  small  that  it  took  two  of  them  to  make  a 
farthing,  and  then  turning  quickly  she  walks  away  lest  some  one  might  know  how 
beggarly  was  the  contribution  which  she  has  made. 

Jesus  spake  no  word  to  the  woman,  but  He  called  His  disciples  and  said, 
"You  see  that  poor  widow  woman,  who  is  just  now  on  her  way  to  the  Outer 
Court  ?  Well,  she  is  worthy  of  all  honor.  I  noticed  how  a  moment  ago  she  came 
in  the  rear  of  the  procession  of  rich  Jews,  and  marked  how  they  made  their 
offerings.  One  had  a  pocket  full  of  money  and  he  threw  in  a  dollar  ;  another, 
whom  I  knew  to  be  rich  and  able  to  give  a  very  large  sum,  came  flaunting  his 
splendid  robes  and  jewelry,  and  dropped  in  one  small  piece  of  silver,  so  that  it 
would  make  a  noise  when  falling  ;  another  gave  a  dime  with  an  air  of  importance 
that  would  not  become  a  man  who  gave  a  hundred  times  as  much.  But  that  poor 
woman  cast  in  freely  every  cent  that  she  had,  and  showed  a  pang  of  deep  regret 

(453) 


454  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONH. 

because  she  could  not  give  more.  She  had  only  two  mites,  but  it  was  all  she  had, 
and  thus  I  say  she  gave  more  than  all  the  rest.  They  gave  to  gain  credit  of  men  ; 
they  begrudged  the  offering  even  ;  but  that  poor  woman  made  her  gift  out  of  a 
devout  spirit,  and  happily  denied  herself  things  which  were  greatly  needed,  in 
order  that  she  might  fulfill  in  the  largest  measure  her  obligation  to  God." 

Certain  of  the  Greeks  Desire  Audience  with  Him. 

As  Jesus  ceased  talking  to  those  disciples  who  had  come  at  His  call  to  hear 
the  lesson  on  the  generous  and  righteous  spirit  which  the  poor  woman  had  exhibited, 
two  others  of  His  disciples,  Philip  and  Andrew,  came  to  tell  Him  that  some  Greeks 
desired  to  see  Him.  It  must  not  be  supposed  that  all  who  attended  the  Passover 
were  Jews,  for  the  teachings  of  Jesus  and  John  had  already  spread  among  the  Gen- 
tiles in  the  Holy  Land,  and  some  of  these  who  had  renounced  their  nationality  to 
embrace  Judaism  were  in  a  condition  of  semi-conviction  that  Jesus  was  indeed  the 
Messiah.  They  had  seen  some  of  His  miracles  and  had  proofs  of  many  others,  sa 
that  their  curiosity  to  know  more  of  Him  was  a  creditable  ambition.  These  Gen- 
tiles were  Greeks  who  lived  in  Galilee  and  from  the  manner  in  which  they  were 
introduced  to  Jesus  we  must  believe  that  they  were  acquaintances  of  Philip.  They 
had  certainly  nearly  outgrown  the  crude  religion  of  the  Hellenes,  whose  gods 
peopled  the  air  and  the  earth  alike,  but  they  had  no  conception  of  how  an  incar- 
nate God  could  redeem  the  world  through  His  death. 

Jesus  gladly  accorded  the  Greeks,  who  thus  sought  Him,  an  interview, 
apparently  regarding  them  as  the  nucleus  around  which  would  gather  those  seek- 
ing a  higher  conception  of  the  Deity  than  was  offered  by  Hellenistic  beliefs,  and 
which  would  spread  until  the  gospel  of  the  true  faith  should  be  embraced  by  all 
the  Gentile  nations  of  the  world.  When,  therefore,  Jesus  met  the  Greeks,  know- 
ing their  desire,  He  said,  "The  hour  is  come  that  the  Son  of  Man  should  be 
glorified."  This  declaration  He  followed  by  an  explanation  of  how  His  suffering 
and  death  should  save  the  world.  Said  He,  "  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  except  a 
corn  of  wheat  fall  into  the  ground  and  die,  it  abideth  alone,  but  if  it  die,  it  bringeth 
forth  much  fruit."  In  other  words,  seed  will  not  produce  unless  it  be  planted  ; 
in  planting,  the  grain  dies,  but  the  seed-germ  blossoms  forth  into  new^  life  and 
produces  a  hundred- fold.  Grains  of  wheat  have  been  found  in  the  necropoli  of 
the  Egyptians,  where  they  had  remained  in  mummy  cases  of  the  dead  for  thou- 
sands of  years  suffering  no  destruction  of  their  germs,  and  when  planted  they 
have  brought  forth  curious-looking,  but  splendid  wheat,  like  that  which  the 
Israelites  harvested  in  the  time  of  the  Pharaohs.  Therefore,  the  illustration 
which  Christ  gave  was  to  show  that  death  to  the  grain  meant  productive  life  to 
the  plant  which  succeeded,  so  His  death  was  that  seed  which  would  bring  forth 
the  fruit  of  redemption  in  the  harvest  of  spiritual  life 


THE  widow's  mite. — Drawn  by  Dore. 


(455) 


456  FROM    MANGKR   TO   THRONE. 

The  dual  nature  of  Jesus  made  Him  alike  the  suljject  of  spiritual  and  natural 
laws.  Had  He  come  onh'  preaching  the  gospel  and  making  no  sacrifices  of  His 
life,  He  would  have  been  likened  unto  the  wheat  which  lay  for  ages  in  the  mummy 
cases  of  the  Egyptians  ;  the  germ  would  have  lived,  but  it  would  never  have 
brought  forth  spiritual  fruits.  Hence,  His  subjection  to  natural  laws  and  human 
conditions  made  it  necessary  for  Him  to  suffer  and  to  die  in  order  that  from  His 
death  might  spring  up  the  harvest  of  the  resurrection.  So  likewise  must  death 
come  to  all,  that  being  like  a  seed  planted  in  corruption  we  .spring  forth  anew  in 
ancorruption.  Therefore,  thus  spoke  Jesus:  "  He  that  loveth  his  life  shall  lose 
it ;  and  he  that  hateth  his  life  in  this  world,  shall  keep  it  unto  life  eternal.  If 
any  man  serve  Me,  let  him  follow  ]\Ie  ;  and  where  I  am,  there  shall  also  My  ser- 
vant be  ;  if  any  man  serve  Me,  him  will  My  Father  honor."  At  this  moment  a 
sudden  change  came  over  our  Lord  ;  His  eyes  closed  as  if  in  deep  reflection,  a 
pallor  spread  over  His  illustrious  features  ;  His  breath  grew  fitful,  and  the  heav- 
ing of  His  bosom  showed  that  some  terrible  mental  trouble  had  assailed  Him.  A 
■  cloud  had  enveloped  His  pure  soul  out  of  which  it  struggled  to  escape,  but  a 
vision  of  martyrdom  was  before  Him,  and  the  tragic  sacrifice  which  He  was  to 
suffer  hung  upon  Him  in  a  great  and  terrible  pall.  His  lips  now  moved  and  in 
agony  He  spoke,  "Now  is  My  soul  troubled;  and  what  shall  I  say  ?  Father, 
save  Me  from  this  hour  :  but  for  this  cause  came  I  unto  this  hour.  Father, 
glorify  Thy  name.'' 

But  in  this  hour  of  trouble,  when  the  cross  was  before  Him  in  prefigurement 
ot  the  horrible  death  which  He  was  so  soon  to  suffer,  and  when  an  ocean  of  agony 
seemed  rolling  over  Him  with  dark  and  beating  waves,  His  sinking  spirit  was 
revived  by  a  voice  that  came  like  a  paean  out  of  the  sky,  "  I  have  both  glorified 
it,  and  will  glorify  it  again."  Once  before  this  voice  of  God  came  down  in  bene- 
diction  upon  Him  at  His  baptizing,  and  again  on  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration, 
and  a  third  time  it  spoke,  not  only  to  His  oppressed  spirit,  but  as  a  tcstimon}'  to 
His  Sonship  of  God  to  an  assemblage  in  the  Temple. 

The  voice  ceased,  the  vision  of  torture  faded,  the  spirit  of  consolation  had 
settled  its  wings  upon  the  soul  of  Jesus,  and  He  resumed  His  discourse  to  the 
people  about  Him.  Some  had  said  the  voice  was  inarticulate,  others  that  it 
thundered,  while  others  declared  that  it  was  an  angel  speaking  in  some  unknown 
tongue,  but  Christ  stilled  their  disputes  by  assuring  them  that  it  was  indeed  a 
voice  from  heaven  given  as  a  testimpny  of  His  Messiahship,  as  some  who  were 
given  the  power  to  understand  knew  it  to  be.  "  Now, "  said  Jesus,  "  is  the  judg- 
ment of  this  world.  Now  shall  the  prince  of  this  world  be  cast  out.  And  I,  if  I 
be  lifted  up  (crucified,  as  I  must  soon  be),  will  draw  all  men  unto  Me;  for  the 
time  approaches  when  men  will  understand,  and  will  perceive  that  My  death  was 
the  seed   of  their  salvation."     Then  some    asked  Him:    "We   have  heard  out 


(45^) 


458  FROM    MANGER    TO   THRONE. 

of  the  law  that  Christ  abideth  forever  ;  and  how  sayest  Thou  then  that  the  Son  of 
Man  must  be  Hfted  up  [crucified]  ?  Who  is  this  Son  of  Man  ? ' '  But  Jesus  did 
not  choose  to  answer  them  directly  ;  they  would  soon  be  able  to  know  what  He 
meant,  the  fulfillment  of  His  words  was  almost  at  hand.  The  day  was  dying  and 
the  night  of  death  was  stealing  down  to  cover  the  world  with  sorrow,  and  Christ 
said,  "  Yet  a  little  while  is  the  light  of  My  presence  with  you.  Walk  while  you 
have  this  light,  lest  darkness  overtake  you.  While  ye  have  the  light,  believe  in 
the  light ;  that  ye  may  be  children  of  the  light. ' ' 

Prophecies  Uttered  on  Olivet. 

The  day,  Tuesday,  had  been  a  most  eventfuj  one,  in  which  Jesus  had  van- 
quished His  enemies  at  every  point  of  conflict,  and  during  which  He  had  given 
many  incomparable  lessons  condemning  the  scribes  and  Pharisees.  It  was  now 
far  in  the  afternoon  and  Jesus  prepares  to  leave  the  Temple,  whose  interior  He 
would  never  again  behold,  and  to  which  He  would  not  again  bend  His  steps  as 
an  instructor  of  His  people.  Slowly  He  leaves  the  sacred  edifice,  followed  by  His 
disciples.  His  heart  burdened  with  sad  reflections  on  the  departed  glory  of  the 
ancient  house  of  Israel,  in  which  the  hopes  of  the  nation  had  so  long  centered,  the 
dedication  of  its  sanctuaries  to  God,  and  how  now  it  was  profaned  by  impious 
uses  of  a  worldly  priesthood.  And  thus  together  they  pass  out  of  the  gate  leading 
to  Bethany,  down  through  the  valle}'  of  Jehoshaphat,  over  the  Kedron  and  on  to 
Olivet,  upon  the  apex  of  which  Jesus  and  the  Twelve  sit  down  to  look  again  upon 
the  splendors  of  Jerusalem,  crowned  as  they  are  by  the  grandeur  and  magnificence 
of  the  Temple,  sparkling  in  the  sunlight  like  a  city  of  pearls  and  diamonds,  and 
amethysts  and  beryls  in  the  splendor  of  dazzling  combination. 

While  sitting  on  the  Mount,  one  of  the  disciples,  remembering  how  Christ 
had  wept  over  Jerusalem  and  foreshadowed  the  Temple's  destruction,  said  to 
Him,  "  Master,  see  what  manner  of  stones  and  what  buildings  are  here  !  "  Such 
a  structure,  with  its  immense  masonry,  with  its  stones  of  astounding  size,  some 
of  them  being  as  much  as  forty  feet  long,  twelve  feet  thick  and  eighteen  feet  broad, 
seemed  to  be  able  to  defy  time  itself,  so  that  the  disciple  was  anxious  to  know  how 
these  would  be  destroyed.  And  Jesus  answered  him,  ' '  See  ye  not  all  these  things  ?■ 
Verily  I  say  unto  you,  there  shall  not  be  left  one  stone  upon  another  that  shall 
not  be  thrown  down." 

Then  asked  Peter,  James,  John  and  Andrew,  in  all  of  whom  surprise  became 
at  once  overmastering,  "Tell  us,  when  shall  these  things  be?  and  what  shall  be 
the  sign  of  Thy  coming  and  of  the  end  of  the  world  ? ' '  What  a  momentous 
question  was  this  to  the  disciples  who  had  begiui  to  comprehend  the  spiritual 
nature  of  Christ  and  who  possibly  were  thinking  that  the  end  of  the  world  was- 
now  not  far  away. 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  459 

Jesus  answered  them  very  much  as  He  had  once  before,  for  said  He  :  ' '  Take 
heed  that  no  man  deceive  you,  for  many  shall  come  in  My  name,  saying,  '  I  am 
Christ,'  and  shall  deceive  many. "  This  forewarning  He  had  given  them  on  a 
previous  occasion,  but  it  was  proper  to  repeat  it  because,  as  His  disciples  were  to 
become  missionaries  to  spread  the  gospel,  it  was  important  to  impress  upon  them 
some  of  the  difficulties  which  they  would  have  to  encounter.  But  He  did  not 
regard  it  as  advisable  to  inform  them  positively  when  the  events  which  He  pre- 
dicted would  be  fulfilled,  preferring  to  give  a  warning  that  would  cause  them  to 
constantly  watch  and  pray  and  to  fulfill  all  righteousness. 

Continuing  His  prophecy,  Jesus  said,  "  And  ye  shall  hear  of  wars  and  rumors 
of  wars  :  see  that  ye  be  not  troubled,  for  all  these  things  must  come  to  pass,  but 
the  end  is  not  yet."  No,  not  yet,  for  there  shall  rise  nation  against  nation,  and 
kingdom  against  kingdom,  despite  peace  congresses  and  boards  of  arbitration,  and 
there  shall  be  famines  and  pestilences  and  earthquakes  despite  our  transportation 
facilities,  and  our  quarantines,  and  our  signal  ser\'ice.  Christ  foresaw  all  these 
just  as  He  foresaw  what  civilization  of  the  nineteenth  century  would  be,  and  He 
said  all  these  are  but  the  beginning  of  sorrows.  Then  looking  again  into  the 
future  and  taking  in  at  one  glance  all  the  persecutions  to  which  His  followers 
would  be  subjected,  the  burnings,  and  crucifixions,  ^nd  tormenting  with  steel  and 
claw  and  screw  and  rack  and  dungeon,  and  fangs  of  half- famished  beasts.  He  told 
them,  "Then  shall  they  deliver  you  up  to  be  afflicted  [tormented],  and  shall  kill 
you  ;  and  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  nations  for  My  name's  sake.  And  then  shall 
many  be  offended,  and  shall  betray  one  another  and  shall  hate  one  another." 
How  often  already  has  this  prediction  been  fulfilled  ?  Ask  the  spirits  of  the  per- 
secuted Protestants  and  of  the  persecuted  Catholics.  First,  heathen  against  Chris- 
tian, and  then  Christian  against  Christian.  It  is  a  horrible  remembrance,  and  as 
truthfully  pictured  by  Jesus  as  it  is  recorded  in  history. 

"  And  many  false  prophets  shall  rise  and  deceive  many."  Scarcely  a  year 
passes  that  we  do  not  learn  of  the  sudden  appearance  of  one  of  these,  and  though 
other  continents  have  been  afflicted  with  a  great  number,  America,  for  a  young 
country,  has  supplied  more  than  her  quota.  "  But  he  that  shall  endure  unto  the 
end,  the  same  shall  be  saved.  And  this  gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  preached 
in  all  the  world  for  a  witness  unto  all  nations  ;  and  then  shall  the  end  come." 

Judgment  to  Swoop  Down  Upon  Jerusalem. 

All  these  are  judgments  which  were,  and  some  of  which  are  yet  to  come  upon 
all  nations  ;  but  there  were  other  judgments  to  be  visited  upon  Jerusalem,  and 
upon  all  Judah,  the  worst  of  which,  let  us  believe,  have  already  been  fulfilled. 
Continuing  therefore,  He  spake,  "  When  ye  therefore  shall  see  the  abomination 
of  desolation  spoken  of  by  David,  stand  in  the  holy  place  (whoso  readeth  let  him 


46o  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

understand).  When  armies  shall  encompass  Jerusalem,  then  let  that  be  a  warn- 
ing to  flee  into  the  mountains. ' '  How  fortunate  would  it  have  been  had  the 
people  followed  this  advice,  when  Titus  encompassed  the  walls  ot  that  city  at  the 
time  of  the  Passover,  and  when  Gallus  surprised  and  invested  it  during  the  feast 
of  Tabernacles  and  killed  a  million  people. 

"  Immediately  after  the  tribulation  of  those  days  shall  the  sun  be  darkened, 
and  the  moon  shall  not  give  her  light,  and  the  stars  shall  fall  from  heaven  and 
the  powers  of  heaven  shall  be  shaken.  And  then  shall  appear  the  sign  of  the  Son 
of  Man  in  heaven  ;  and  then  shall  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  mourn,  and  they  shall 
see  the  Son  of  Man  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power  and  great  glory. 
And  He  shall  send  His  angels  with  a  great  sotmd  of  a  trumpet,  and  they  shall 
gather  together  His  elect  from  the  four  winds,  from  one  end  of  heaven  to  the 
other."  This  should  be  the  sign  of  the  Lord's  second  coming.  No  description 
can  ever  surpass  this,  no  words  of  poet,  philosopher  or  rhetorician  can  ever  equal 
these  which  fell  from  the  Master's  lips.  So  thrilling  that  the  heart  is  shaken  by 
the  reading,  so  picturesque  that  the  whole  prophecy  presents  itself  like  a  terrible 
picture  before  our  horrified  vision  :  as  we  look  on  at  the  shadow  cast  by  an  obscured 
sun,  and  see  the  sooty  moon  riding  on  wing  of  storm,  and  stars  leaping  out  of 
heaven  like  serpents  of  fire,  and  mountains  toppling,  and  cities  tumbling,  we  are 
fairly  cast  down  with  terror.  But  our  eyes  then  turn  to  the  background  of  this 
picture,  and  we  see  a  rising  light  flooding  the  distracted  earth,  scattering  cloud 
and  falling  star.  Behold  now  how  the  dark  clouds  are  gilded,  and  how  they  grow 
into  gigantic  pearls  with  rainbow  above  and  aurora  borealis  below  and  flame  of 
glory  in  the  centre.  The  magnificence  of  the  scene  grows  into  sublimity  of  lustre 
as  we  observe  Jesus  riding  on  chariot  of  cloud  with  all  the  sumptuousness  of 
heaven  about  Him,  and  bands  of  angels  preceding  in  phalanx  of  iridescent  wing 
and  radiant  face,  and  trailing  robes  of  gossamer.  Wh}-,  so  faithful  is  the  picture 
that  we  can  almost  hear  the  trumpet  blast  calling  together  all  the  Christians  of  the 
world,  those  to  whom  reward  shall  be  given,  and  can  see  that  as  God  combs  the 
long  black  tresses  of  the  storm  with  lightning  and  then  adorns  them  with  ribbon 
of  rainbow,  so  has  He  lent  to  the  picture  of  a  tottering  world  the  refulgence  and 
bewildering  splendor  and  dazzling  glory  of  Jesus  coming  to  save  those  who  are 
prepared  to  give  Him  welcome. 

Prepare  for  the  Lord's  Coming. 

Jesus  declared  to  His  disciples  that  many  signs  would  be  given  even  during 
that  generation,  but  that  the  hour  of  the  day  of  His  coming  no  man  knew,  not  even 
the  angels  in  heaven,  the  time  being  concealed  from  all  save  from  God  Himself. 
"  Watch,  therefore,"  .said  He,  "  for  ye  know  not  what  hour  your  lyord  doth  come. 
But  do  not  be  as  were  the  people  in  the  time  of  Noah  ;  let  it  be  sufficient  for  you 


FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


461 


to  have  revealmeiit  of  the  fact  that  the  Lord  shall  come,  and  use  all  j^our  time  in 
preparation  to  receive  Him.  If  you  do  not  watch  and  pray  yoa  will  grow  heed- 
less, and  relapse  into  sinful  indulgences,  for 
the  temptations  to  pursue  worldly  pleasures 
are  so  great  as  to  wean  you  from  righteous 
resolutions  unless  you  fortify  yourself  against 
them  by  an  ever-constant  regard  for  your 
religious  obligations.  Be  vigilant,  for  the 
hour  of  the  Lord's  reappearing  will  be  like  a 
master  going  into  a  far  country,  and  leaving 
his  effects  in  the  charge  of  servants  who  are 
commanded  to  be  diligent  in  their  duties  and 
keep  a  faithful  watch  unto  his  return.  If 
the  servant  be  dutiful  the  master  will  reward 
him,  but  if  he  be  slothful  and  say  in  his 
heart,  my  Lord  has  delayed  his  return,  and 
in  this  feeling  of  security  he  plunge  into 
all  manner  of  guilty  indulgences,  and  neg- 
lect longer  to  keep  watch,  surely  he  will 
not  escape  punishment.  The  master  will 
return  when  the  servant  is  not  expecting 
him,  and  seeing  how  he  had  disre- 
garded his  commands,  the  master  will 
drive  him  out  and  deliver 
him  up  for  punishment." 
"You  know,"  said 
Jesus, 
"that  if 
a  house- 
holder 
should 
be  ap- 
prised 
of  the 
hour 
when   a 

burglar  bronze  lamp  used  by  eastern  nations. 

would  come  to  rob  him,  he  would  watch  to  prevent  his  house  being  plundered. 
But  as  a  thief  comes  in  his  own  secret  time  so  will  the  return  of  the  Son  of  Man 
be  similarly  sudden  and  unexpected." 


462  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

Parable  of  the  Ten  Virgins. 

The  coming" of  the  Lord  for  judgment  was  illustrated  by  Jesus  by  a  parable 
•of  ten  virgins,  who  had  been  invited  to  participate  in  a  marriage  procession.  It 
was  customary  with  the  Jews  in  the  higher  circles  to  make  a  festival  of  marriage, 
among  other  practices  being  that  of  going  out  in  a  procession  to  meet  the  groom, 
the  celebrants  first  providing  themselves  with  musical  instruments  and  with  lamps 
and  torches,  to  receive  and  conduct  him  to  the  bride's  home,  where  the  marriage 
■ceremony  was  performed  and  a  great  feast  given.  In  the  parable  related  by  Jesus 
•of  ten  virgins  who  went  out  to  welcome  the  bridegroom,  five  were  wise  in  that 
they  took  lamps  filled  with  oil  and  also  carried  an  additional  supply  in  their  oil 
•cases  to  provide  for  refilling  their  lamps  if  they  should  burn  out  during  the  time 
of  waiting.  The  other  five,  being  foolish,  did  not  make  such  provision,  being 
heedless  of  consequences,  since  they  reckoned  upon  a  quick  appearance  of  the 
groom.  So  the  ten  went  out  in  the  evening  to  a  house  by  which  the  groom  must 
pass  and  there  waited  his  approach  ;  but  hour  after  hour  went  by  with  no  signs 
of  his  coming  and  the  long  delay  serving  to  make  their  eyes  heavy  with  slumber 
they  all  finally  lay  down  and  slept.  At  midnight  the  sound  of  music  and  of 
■singing  aroused  other  people  in  the  house,  who,  rushing  out,  saw  a  procession 
advancing,  headed  by  torches,  and  girls  in  white  singing,  and  they  called  out  to 
the  sleeping  virgins,  "  Behold,  the  bridegroom  cometh  :  go  ye  out  to  meet  him." 
Then  there  was  a  hasty  scrambling  to  make  ready,  but  when  the  five  improvident 
virgins  trimmed  their  lamps  they  discovered  that  the  oil  had  burned  out,  so  they 
begged  of  the  others  to  give  them  a  supply  ;  but  the  wise  answered,  "  Not  so,  lest 
there  be  not  enough  for  us  and  you  :  but  go  ye  rather  to  them  that  sell,  and  buy 
for  yourselves. "  They  now  realized  how  neglectful  they  had  been,  and  rushed 
off  in  great  haste  to  a  neighboring  oil  merchant,  hoping  yet  to  have  their  lamps 
refilled  before  the  groom  should  reach  the  bride's  house.  But  while  they  were 
gone  the  bridegroom  came  and  the  five  wise  virgins  joined  the  procession  and 
went  on  with  it  to  the  bride's  house,  where  they  were  joyfully  received,  and  the 
door  being  soon  shut  the  festivities  and  feasting  began. 

After  a  while  the  five  foolish  virgins  came  with  their  burning  lamps  and 
sought  admission  to  the  house  of  celebration,  but  to  their  knockings  and  their 
suppliant  cries  of  "Lord,  Lord,  open  to  us,"  they  received  only  the  chilling 
reply,  "  I  know  you  not." 

See  that  you  be  not  neglectful  like  the  five  foolish  virgins,  but  be  prepared 
against  the  time  when  the  bridegroom  from  heaven  shall  appear,  coming  in  glory 
to  spread  a  banquet  in  celebration  of  His  wedding  with  those  who  have  been 
faithful  to  Him  through  night  of  temptation  and  through'  day  of  promise. 

Jesus  having  given  to  His  disciples  the  parable  of  the  ten  virgins,  then 
repeated  that  o£  the  talents,  practically  as  He  related  it  in  Jericho,  giving  to  it 


THE  FOOLISH  VIRGINS. — Drawn  by  Bida. 


U63) 


4^4 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


however  a  re- enforcement  by  way  of  deeper  impressment  upon  the  minds  of  His 
twelve  auditors,  showing  how  they  should  not  only  prove  faithful  in  maintaining 
towards  God  a  worshipful  feeling,  but  that  it  was  obligatory  upon  them  to  exercise 
whatever  abilities  with  which  they  were  endowed  towards  advancing  the  kingdom 
of  the  Gospel,  for  their  reward  would  be  in  proportion  to  the  service  they  rendered 
in  spreading  the  gospel  and  bringing  souls  to  repentance.  And  Jesus  also  gave 
His  disciples  an  illustration  of  the  Judgment  which  was  to  be  sent  on  the  nations, 
saying,  "  And  before  Him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations;  and  He  shall  separate 
them  one  from  another  as  a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  the  goats,  and  He 
shall  set  the  sheep  on  His  right  hand,  but  the  goats  on  the  left."  To  the  sheep, 
who  know  Him  as  their  shepherd,  and  who  obey  His  voice,  rewards  of  salvation 
and  blessedness  shall  be  given  ;  but  the  goats  on  the  left,  signifying  the  hypocrites, 
the  Pharisees,  and  those  so  worldly-minded  as  to  have  given  themselves  to  sinful 
indulgences,  will  be  cast  into  outer  darkness — the  one  to  a  blissful  life  that  shall 
be  unending  :  the  other  to  punishment  that  shall  be  like  everlasting. 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

PERFUME    FOR    CHRIST. 

y /  W  HEN  Jesus  ended  His  discourse  to  the  disciples,  the  sun  had 
■  ■  I  sunk  far  down  the  hills  on  the  west  of  Jerusalem,  admonishing 
^m^  J  them  that  if  the^^  would  reach  Bethany  before  nightfall,  the 
^^^  journey  must  be  continued  at  once.  Though  the  distance  is  brief, 
the  way  is  dreadfully  rough,  as  I  know  by  experience  ;  but  to  travel  it  after 
dark  is  really  dangerous,  so  rock-bestrewn  is  the  road.  As  they  walked  along 
towards  Bethany,  Jesus  appeared  to  be  pondering  over  the  sacrifice  which  He  was 
to  make  three  days  later,  and  on  the  inconceivable  iraperviousness  of  the  hearts 
of  the  Jews  to  His  teachings.  Arousing  from  His  gloomy  reverie.  He  said  to  the 
Twelve,  "  You  know  that  after  two  days  is  the  feast  of  the  Passover,  and  the  Son 
of  Man  is  betrayed  to  be  crucified. ' '  Then  He  relapsed  into  a  reflective  mood, 
making  no  further  obser\'ation,  while  the  disciples  held  their  peace,  failing  ten 
understand  His  words,  or  else  unable  to  bring  their  minds  to  a  realization  of  the 
dread  event  predicted.  But  these  words  of  Christ  had  another  significance,  for 
manifestly  they  were  inspired  by  His  supernatural  knowledge  that  at  that  very 
moment  there  was  an  assembling  of  the  chief  priests,  scribes  and  elders  in  the 
palace  of  Caiaphas  for  the  purpose  of  concerting  means  to  destroy  Him.  This 
meeting  was  not  an  harmonious  one,  for  some  of  the  more  rash  and  excitable 
attendants  proposed  that  they  arrest  Jesus  on  the  feast  day,  which  proposition 
met  with  violent  opposition  from  the  more  conservative  priests,  who,  understand- 
ing the  temper  of  the  people,  declared  that  any  effort  to  take  Him  on  that  day 
would  be  followed  by  an  uprising  which  might  result  in  a  mob  destroying  everj^ 
member  of  the  Sanhedrim. 

But  Jesus  went  on,  conscious  though  He  was  of  what  was  transpiring  in  the 
house  of  the  high-priest,  nor  had  He  occasion  to  turn  aside,  knowing  how  and 
when  the  end  would  come.  So  with  His  disciples  He  went  to  the  house  of  His 
dearest  friends  in  Bethany,  probably  to  be  entertained  by  them  for  the  night,  and 
spend  His  last  day  in  the  little  village,  talking  with  them  on  the  surprising  events 
of  his  ministry,  and  possibly  now  telling  them  how  He  would  be  crucified  before 
three  days  more  were  ended.  If  He  lodged  Tuesday  niglit  with  lyazarus,  Mar>'- 
and  Martha  and  Simon,  on  the  following  day  He  received  an  invitation  from 
another  Simon — who  was  distinguished  as  the  "  red  leper  " — to  dine  with  him. 
Simon  was  a  very  common  name  among  the  Jews,  and  the  surnames  were  only 
30  (465) 


466  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

given  in  case  where  the  person  had  some  particular  calHng  by  which  he  might  be 
designated,  it  is  impossible  for  us  now  to  tell  what  particular  Simon  this  was  who 
invited  Jesus  to  dine  with  him.  By  the  designation  of  "Simon,  the  leper,"  we 
are  given  to  understand  that  he  had  been  for  a  long  while  a  sufferer  from  that 
fatal  and  loathsome  disease,  and  by  his  invitation  to  Jesus  we  gain  the  belief  that 
at  some  time  before,  probably  at  a  previous  visit  to  Bethany,  Jesus  had  healed 
him.  Otherwise  we  cannot  comprehend  the  significance  of  the  dinner  that  was 
thus  given,  nor  can  we  possibly  believe  that  Jesus  would  accept  the  hospitality  of 
a  leper  when  by  word  or  touch  He  could  heal  him. 

It  is  altogether  probable  that  Simon  had  been  cured  of  his  leprosy  by  Jesus, 
and  that  being  a  wealthy  man  he  desired  to  give  some  manifestation  of  his  grati- 
tude, which  he  accomplished  by  giving  a  feast  to  his  restorer.  The  particular 
incident  which  occurred  at  this  dinner,  and  which  served  to  make  it  the  most 
important,  because  the  most  celebrated  meal  that  Christ  ever  ate,  is  thus  described 
by  Mark  : 

"And  being  in  Bethany,  in  the  house  of  'Simon  the  leper,'  as  He  sat  at 
mea'.,  there  came  a  woman  having  an  alabaster  box  of  ointment  of  spikenard, 
very  precious  ;  and  she  brake  the  box  and  poured  it  on  His  head.  And  there 
■^ere  some  that  had  indignation  within  themselves,  and  said,  ''Why  was  this 
waste  of  the  ointment  made  ? ' ' 

By  this  account  of  an  incident,  simple  in  itself  but  profound  in  its  significance, 
we  are  introduced  to  a  man  pale  and  wasted  with  recent  sickness,  who  is  entertain- 
ing the  Doctor  who  cured  him,  Simon  the  host,  Christ  the  guest.  It  is  unpleasant 
to  be  interrupted  at  meals,  and  considerable  indignation  is  aroused  by  the  fact 
that  a  woman  presses  into  the  dining  hall  with  ointment  made  of  spikes  of  nard, 
and  pours  this  ointment  on  the  head  of  Christ.  It  was  an  ointment  so  costly  and 
so  rare  that  the  bestowment  of  it  implied  great  admiration  and  affection.  "  Put 
her  out ! ' '  cried  the  people  ;  ' '  What  an  outrageous  interniption  this  is  !  Why  is  this 
woman  allowed  to  come  in  here  ?"  Besides  that,  it  is  such  a  lack  of  economy.  Here 
she  takes  a  stone  jar  made  from  the  mountains  near  the  city  of  Alabastron — a  stone 
jar  filled  with  perfume  so  costly  that  it  might  have  purchased  bread  for  the  poor, 
and  pours  it  on  the  head  of  one  who  cares  nothing  for  the  fragrance.  ' '  Stop, ' ' 
said  Jesus,  ' '  do  not  put  her  out !  ' '  He  who  had  mingled  the  cup  of  all  the  flowers 
appreciated  the  breath  of  the  nard,  and  he  who  had  made  the  stone  jars  in  the 
factories  of  Alabastron  knew  the  worth  of  that  box.  Jesus  says  :  ' '  The  woman 
is  right.  She  has  done  her  best,  and  the  perfume  which  fills  this  banqueting 
house  shall  yet  fil!  all  the  earth  and  all  ages. ' ' 

That  woman  could  have  bought  a  vase  that  would  not  have  cost  so  much  as 
one  made  of  alabaster.  She  might  have  brought  perfume  that  would  have  cost 
only  fifty  pence  ;  this  cost  three  hundred.     As  far  as  I  can  understand,  her  whole 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


467 


fortune  was  in  it.  She  might  have  been  more  economical  ;  but  no,  she  gets  the 
very  best  box,  and  puts  in  it  the  very  best  perfume,  and  pours  it  all  out  on  the 
head  of  her  Redeemer.  She  brings  the  perfumes  of  nard,  the  most  expensive 
essence  known  to  the  Jews,  extracted  as  it  was  from  one  of  the  rarest  and 
most  fragrant  of  flowers.  And  what  type  of  gracious  love  was  this  offering  ; 
sweet  flow^ers,  crushed  in  the  press,  submerged  in  the  bowl  until  their  spirits  came 
forth  in  gracious  distillment,  and  the  soul  of  the  flowers  became  the  perfume  of 
the  alabastron  jar  for  Christ's  anointment. 

While  I  sit  this  December  morning  in  Bethany  and  look  out  upon  the  hillsides 
of  the  Holy  Land,  this  beautiful  offering  of  Mary  comes  to  me  in  irresistible  mean- 
ing of  exquisite  symbolism 
and  incomparable  beauty. 

The  flowers  bf  the  field 
are  all  dead  as  I  write.  I 
saw  them  blooming  in  the 
valleys  and  mountains;  they 
ran  up  to  the  ver^-  lips  of 
the  cave ;  they  garlanded 
the  neck  of  the  hills  like  a 
May  queen.  They  set  their 
banquet  of  golden  cups  for 
the  bee,  and  dripped  in  drops 
of  honeysuckle  for  the  hum- 
ming-bird. They  dashed 
their  antlers  against  the 
white  hand  of  the  sick  child, 
and  came  to  the  nostrils  of 
the  dying  like  spice  gales 
from  heaven.  They  shook 
in  the  agitation  of  the  bride, 
and  at  the  burial  hour  rang 
the  silver  chime  of  a  resur-  spikenard. 

rection.  Beautiful  flowers  !  Bright  flowers  !  Sweet  flowers  !  But  they  are  all 
dead  now^  I  saw  their  scattered  petals  on  the  foam  of  the  wild  brook,  and  I 
pulled  aside  the  hedge  and  saw  the  place  where  their  corpses  lay.  But  their  spirits 
are  ever  with  us,  as  are  the  spirits  of  Jesus  and  of  Mar>^  who  anointed  Him,  and 
of  the  immortal  hosts  who  approved  that  precious  offering. 

Our  world  will  after  a  while  burn  up.  So  great  have  been  its  abominations 
and  disorders,  that  one  would  think  that  when  the  flames  touch  it  a  horrible 
Stench  w^ould  roll   into  the  skies  ;  the  coal-mines  consuming,  the  impurities  of 


468  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

great  cities  burning,  you  might  think  that  a  lost  spirit  from  the  pit  would  stagger 
back  at  the  sickening  odor.  But  no.  I  suppose  on  that  day  a  cloud  of  incense 
will  roll  into  the  skies,  all  the  wilderness  of  tropical  flowers  on  fire,  the  mountains 
of  frankincense,  the  white  sheet  of  the  water-lilies,  the  million  tufts  of  heliotrope, 
the  trellises  of  honeysuckle,  the  walls  of  "  morning-glory."  The  earth  shall  be 
a  burning  censer  held  up  before  the  throne  of  God,  with  all  the  sweet  odors  of 
the  hemispheres.  But  on  that  day  a  sweeter  gale  shall  waft  into  the  skies.  It 
will  come  up  from  ages  past,  from  altars  of  devotion,  and  hovels  of  poverty,  and 
beds  of  pain,  and  stakes  of  martyrdom,  and  from  all  the  places  whose  good  men 
and  women  have  suffered  for  God  and  died  for  the  truth.  It  will  be  the  fragrance 
ot  ten  thousand  boxes  of  alabaster,  which,  through  the  long  reach  of  the  ages, 
were  poured  on  the  head  of  Christ.  That  woman  brought  an  alabaster-box. 
What  was  it  to  Jesus?  Why,  he  owns  all  the  fragrance  of  earth  and  heaven  ; 
but  He  took  it.  He  was  satisfied  with  it.  If  it  had  been  a  wooden  box,  He 
would  have  been  just  as  well  satisfied.  I  hear  some  say,  "  If  I  only  had  this, 
that  or  the  other  thing,  I  would  do  so  much  for  God. ' '  In  the  last  day  it  may 
be  found  that  a  cup  of  cold  water  given  in  the  name  of  a  disciple  gets  as  rich 
a  reward  as  the  founding  of  a  kingdom,  and  that  the  sewing-girl's  needle 
may  be  as  honorable  in  God's  sight  as  a  king's  sceptre,  and  that  the  grandest 
eulogium  that  was  ever  uttered  about  any  one  was,  ' '  She  hath  done  what  she 
could." 

"She  is  come  aforehand  to  anoint  My  bod}'  to  the  burjing.  Verily  I  say 
unto  you,  wheresoever  this  gospel  shall  be  preached  throughout  the  whole  world, 
this  also  that  she  hath  done  shall  be  spoken  of  for  a  memorial  of  her. ' ' 

The  Scheme  of  Betrayal. 

Judas  being  treasurer  of  the  twelve  apostles,  was  specially  off'ended  at  the 
extravagance  of  Mary  in  using  such  costly  ointment  for  the  anointing  of  Jesus, 
and  even  expressed  his  indignation,  which  the  kind  words  and  sad  predictions 
of  Jesus  failed  to  assuage.  From  that  moment,  but  whether  from  revengeful 
design  or  sincere  desire  for  the  manifestation  of  the  power  which  he  knew  his 
IvOrd  possessed  we  know  not,  Judas  became  an  antagonist  of  Christ.  He  under- 
stood where  the  enemies  of  Jesus  might  be  found,  and  taking  leave  of  his 
brethren  with  some  excuse,  he  repaired  to  the  house  of  Caiaphas  on  the  Mount 
of  Offence,  just  outside  of  Jerusalem,  and  finding  there  an  assemblage  of  priests 
and  scribes,  he  boldly  announced  the  purpose  of  his  visit.  Said  he,  ' '  What  will 
ye  give  me,  and  I  will  deliver  Him  unto  you  ?  And  when  they  heard  it  they 
were  glad,  and  they  covenanted  with  him  for  thirty  pieces  bf  silver.  And  Judas 
promised,  and  from  that  time  he  sought  opportunity  how  he  might  convenientb 
betray  Him  unto  them  in  the  absence  of  the  multitude." 


FROM    MANGKR    TO    THRONE. 


469 


At  this  point  we  are  confronted  by  one  of  the  greatest  problems  that  has  ever 
given  rise  to  disputation.  It  is  a  question  which  affords  unHniited  testimony  for 
argument,  and  one  which  neither  time  nor  discussion  will  ever  settle.  The 
apostles,    writing   of  the   betrayal,    attribute  the    treason    of  Judas    to   Satanic 


'i^yTK 


--■-,_    ^^_J^-2rTop.vrichM88I, 
.   '-    ^vi'r''^     D.  Appkiou  i  Co. 


THK   HILI,  OF   KVIL   COUNSEL,    FROM   THE  SOUTH   WALL,   JERUSALEM. 

influence,  and  there  is  not  wanting  evidence  from  Christ  Himself  that  the  ruling 
passion  of  Judas  was  avarice,  which  led  him  to  connnit  such  acts  as  would  appear 
to  impugn  his  lionest>'.  But  again  we  may  ask  if  the  betrayal  was  not  in 
pursuance  of  divine  purpose?  Jesus  was  born  to  l)ecome  a  sacrifice  for  the 
world  ;  and  though,  in  a  sense,  limited  to  natural  laws,  He  was  yet,  in  a  broader 


470  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRCNE;. 

interpretation,  a  God  sent  among  nien  ana  knowing  no  limitations.  The  selection 
of  Judas  as  a  disciple  was  certainly  not  with  the  belief  tnat  ne  would  fulfill  all  the 
conditions  of  true  apostleship,  for  otherwise  we  must  doubt  the  prescience  of 
Jesus,  unless  we  regard  the  appointment  as  an  instrumentality  to  fulfill  the 
essential  purpose  of  Christ's  coming.  Again,  we  must  consicier  the  position 
which  Judas  occupied  among  the  Twelve.  He  was  never  a  confidant  of  Jesus, 
like  John  and  Peter,  or  James  and  Andrew.  But  other  apostles  had  no  more 
intimate  relation,  and  hence  we  cannot  for  this  reason  assume  that  Jesus  regarded 
him  with  distrust.  On  the  other  hand,  the  selection  of  Judas  as  treasurer  of  the 
Twelve,  and  possibly  of  the  seventy,  and  of  all  of  Christ's  followers,  indicates 
reliance  in  his  integrity,  for  the  position  gave  unbridled  opportunity  for 
dishonesty.  To  him  the  collections  made  were  given,  and  by  him  were  disbursed 
for  the  immediate  needs  of  the  apostles  and  for  charity,  without  his  being 
required  to  render  any  accounting. 

It  is  maintained  with  much  show  of  reason  that  Judas  had  become  alienated 
from  Christ  by  reason  of  his  knowledge  that  Jesus  read  his  heart  and  saw  how 
covetous  and  unprincipled  he  really  was ;  that  Judas  had  accepted  apostleship 
for  ambitious  ends;  that  he  believed  in  the  miracles  of  Jesus  and  confidently 
looked  forward  to  the  establishment  of  the  Jewish  Monarchy,  to  the  throne  of 
which  Jesus  would  come  as  the  rightful  heir  of  David.  He  accordingly  aspired 
to  some  high  office  within  the  gift  of  his  Master.  When,  however,  he  awakened 
from  this  ambitious  dream  and  comprehended  the  spiritual  kingdom  which  Christ 
had  come  to  establish,  Judas  lost  courage,  faith  and  aspiration  ;  and  when  he  saw 
with  what  impunity  Jesus  was  reviled,  and  how  strong  was  the  party  that  had 
resolved  upon  His  execution,  the  last  tie  that  bound  him  to  Jesus  was  soon  broken. 
Henceforth,  to  escape  the  persecutions  threatened  against  the  followers  of  Christ, 
he  would  not  only  abandon  Him,  but  join  His  enemies,  thereby  reaping  the 
double  advantage  of  securing  his  own  safety  and  of  gaining  a  reward  for 
betraying  Jesus. 

This  argument  is  a  strong  one,  but  it  is  met  with  one  equally  masterful  ; 
Judas  must  have  been  convinced  of  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus  by  the  miracles 
which  he  witnessed ;  if  he  had  this  conviction,  he  understood  that  Jesus  had 
unlimited  mastership  of  the  world,  which  it  were  madness  for  human  power  to 
oppose.  If  Judas  believed  in  the  predictions  of  Jesus,  and  he  had  seen  not  a 
few  verified,  he  must  have  regarded  with  terror  the  punishment  which  Christ 
declared  would  come  to  those  who  rejected  Him  ;  hence  he  could  hardly  have 
so  debased  himself  to  escape  the  possible  persecutions  of  scribes  and  Pharisees, 
for  no  persecutions  had  yet  even  threatened  them,  and  were  prospective  only  in 
the  predictions  made  by  Jesus.  Again,  we  note  that  Judas  was,  as  tradition  tells 
us,  the  wealthiest  of  the  Twelve.     The  apostles  were  supposed  to  contribute  their 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


471 


possessions  to  a  common  fund  for  the  equal  advantage  of  all,  but  in  fact  they  did 
not  do  this,  for  we  do  not  learn  of  Nathanael  selling  his  house,  or  of  John,  James 
and  Andrew  selling  their  boats  and  their  nets  and  turning  the  proceeds  into  the 
common  fund.  They  merely  left  all  and  followed  Jesus.  The  price  of  betrayal 
was  about  $22.00,  a  sum  so  insignificant  that  we  can  hardly  believe  he  would 
commit  such  a  monstrous  and  treasonable  act  for  the  reward  alone.  Those  who 
argue  thus  maintain  that  the  real  motive  of  Judas  was  to  compel  Jesus  to  assert 
His  kingly  prerogatives,  and  in  so  doing  to  exercise  His  supernatural  powers  to 
bring  not  only  the  Jews  but  all  the  world  to  acknowledge  Him  as  king.  By  this 
decisive  step  Judas  hoped  to  succeed  with  Jesus  to  the  proud  eminence  of  earthly 
aggrandizement  which  his  ambitions  had  so  gloriously  pictured  to  him,  and  to 
reap  both  worldly  and  heavenly  reward  for  thus  precipitating  the  accomplishment 
of  what  he  conceived  to  be  the  prime  design  of  Christ. 

The  force  of  this  argument  is  especially  great  when  we  consider  the  over- 
whelming remorse  which  led  Judas  to  surrender  the  price  of  betrayal,  and  after 
vainly  trying  to  establish  the  innocence  of  Jesus  before  His  murderous  enemies, 
to  punish  his  own  apparent  perfidy  by  suicide.  To  exhaust  the  arguments 
introduced  by  disputants  on  both  sides  of  this  controversy  would  require  a  large 
volume  of  itself,  but  as  conclusion  is  impossible,  however  exhaustive  the  discus- 
sion, each  person  must  be  left  to  form  his  own  opinions  as  to  the  real  motive 
which  actuated  Judas.  But  all  will  agree  that  the  betrayal  of  Christ  did  not 
bring  about,  and  could  hardly  have  hastened,  His  crucifixion,  since  for  that 
purpose  came  He  into  the  world. 


-«H^ 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

FEAST    OF    THE    PASSOVER. 

^/""^k  ROBABIyY  Jesus  dined  with  Simon  on  Wednesday,  and  on  the  evening 
^        I     of  that  day  Judas  made  his  compact  with  the  Sanhedrim  to  betray 
Iv-^      Him.     On  Thursday,  as  the  records  seem  to  show,  the  disciples  came 
4  *  to  Jesus  asking  Him  where  they  should  prepare  the  Passover  feast. 

What  date  this  offering  and  supper  was  made  we  have  no  means  for  accurately 
determining.  The  feast  was  instituted  by  Moses  as  described  in  the  twelfth 
chapter  of  Exodus.  He  fixed  the  fourteenth  of  Abib,  the  first  month  of  the 
ecclesiastical  calendar,  as  the  date  when  the  feast  should  be  made,  at  which  time 
every  Jew  not  suffering  from  bodily  infirmity,  or  ceremonial  impurity,  was  com- 
pelled to  present  himself  at  the  sanctuary  and  there  make  offerings  according  to 
his  ability.  On  the  succeeding  evening  the  lambs  appointed  for  the  sacrifice  were 
slain,  and  the  fat  and  blood  given  to  the  priests,  who  burned  the  fat  and  sprinkled 
the  altar  with  the  blood.  The  other  portions  were  roasted  and  eaten  with 
unleavened  bread  and  bitter  herbs.  After  the  night  was  ended  a  great  convoca- 
tion was  held,  and  then  for  six  successive  days  offerings  of  two  young  bullocks 
were  made  in  addition  to  other  sacrifices-=-seven  lambs,  one  year  old,  for  meat  and 
burnt  offering — during  which  time  abstinence  from  all  but  absolutely  necessary 
labor  was  enjoined.  On  the  twenty-first  another  holy  convocation  was  held,  and 
the  day  was  devoted  to  peculiar  solemnities.  These  ceremonies  were  not  always 
the  same,  an  interruption  having  occurred  by  reason  of  the  destruction  of  the 
Temple,  and  upon  their  reinstitution  there  was  a  greater  liberty  of  license,  which 
finally  grew  into  lawfulness  of  the  celebration  of  the  festival  outside  of  the  sanc- 
tuaries. If  it  were  possible  for  us  to  tell  the  exact  date  of  the  feast,  we  would  be 
able  to  determine  the  day  of  the  month  on  which  Christ  was  crucified  ;  but  in  the 
absence  of  this  knowledge,  as  more  fully  explained  in  a  previous  chapter,  our 
histories  of  the  crucifixion  give  each  a  different  date,  thus  exhibiting  the  hopeless 
confusion  into  which  each  one  attempting  to  compute  the  time  has  been  led. 

The  Lord's  Last  Supper. 

The  passover  which  Jesus  was  now  about  to  celebrate  was  a  prophetic  t5rpe 
of  his  own  sacrifice.  As  the  blood  of  a  lamb  was  sprinkled  upon  the  door-posts 
of  the  houses  of  the  Israelites  in  Egypt  to  avert  the  destroying  angel,  so  was  the 
blood  of  Jesus  now  to  be  poured  out  as  a  sin-offering  to  save  mankind  from  the 
doom  that  impended,  hence  "Christ  our  Passover  is  sacrified  for  us." 

(472I 


474  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

When  the  disciples  asked,  ' '  Where  wih  Thou  that  we  go  and  prepare,  that 
Thou  mayest  eat  the  Passover, ' '  Jesus  seems  to  have  suddenly  seen  the  importance 
of  hastening  the  preparation,  for  He  immediately  instructed  Peter  and  John  to  go 
into  Jerusalem,  where  they  would  meet  a  man  carrying  a  pitcher  of  water,  whom 
they  were  to  follow  until  he  entered  his  house.  Greeting  him  therefore  at  his 
home,  the  two  disciples  were  told  to  say  to  him,  "The  Master  saith  unto  thee, 
My  time  is  at  hand.  I  will  keep  the  Passover  at  thy  house  with  My  disciples. 
Where  is  the  guest-chamber,  where  I  shall  eat  the  Passover  with  My  disciples  ? 
Then  will  the  man  show  you  a  la.ge  upper  room  furnished  and  prepared.  There 
make  ready  for  us. ' '  John  and  Peter  did  as  the  Lord  had  bidden  them,  finding 
everything  as  Jesus  had  foretold,  and  at  the  hou.^e  designated  they  prepared  for 
the  feast. 

When  the  afternoon  was  far  advanced,  Jesus  and  His  disciples  repaired  to  the 
place  provided,  and  entering  the  guest-chamber  they  found  everything  prepared 
and  they  sat  down  to  celebrate  the  most  solemn  occasion  that  had  ever  transpired 
in  the  life  of  any  one  of  the  participants  ;  an  occasion  so  sad  that  its  solemnity 
has  lost  none  of  its  impressiveness  in  the  more  than  eighteen  hundred  years  that 
have  since  elapsed.  Jesus  was  the  King  of  Mercy  sitting  on  the  throne  of  gloom, 
and  with  heaving  bosom  from  the  oppression  which  a  knowledge  of  His  fate 
produced.  He  said  to  His  disciples,  ' '  With  desire  I  have  desired  to  eat  this 
Passover  with  you  before  I  suffer.  For  I  say  unto  you,  I  will  not  any  more  eat 
thereof  till  it  be  fulfilled  in  the  kingdom  of  God. ' '  Then  lifting  up  the  cup  filled 
with  wine.  He  gave  thanks  and  passed  it  to  the  disciple  who  sat  next  to  Him  on 
the  right,  saying,  "  Take  this,  and  divide  it  among  yourselves.  For  I  say  unto 
you,  I  will  not  drink  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine  until  the  kingdom  of  God  shall 
come."  The  significance  of  this  act  is  in  that  He  would  not  participate  in  any 
cheer  to  divert  His  thoughts  from  the  offering  which  He  was  soon  to  make  ;  that 
a  more  royal  banquet  was  prepared  and  awaiting  Him  in  His  Father's  Mansion, 
whither  He  would  go  to  celebrate  the  emancipation  from  the  sins  of  this  world  of 
all  who  loved  Him. 

It' would  seem  impossible  that  His  disciples  could  disturb  the  holy  solemnity 

of  that  sacred  hour  by  unseemly  wranglings  concerning  who  should  be  greatest 

in  that  kingdom  to  which  Jesus  had  now  set  His  footsteps  ;  or  that  they  would 

begin  a  disputation  as  to  who  should  occupy  the  chief  seat  of  honor  at  that 

Passover  feast,  and  yet  the  bonds  which  bound  them  to  worldly  honors  were  even 

now  so  strong  that  they  would  indulge  in  selfish  contention  in  the  presence  of  their 

Master. 

Jesus  Acts  as  Servant  to  the    Disciples. 

It  was  customary  for  Jews  on  all  occasions  of  feasting  to  have  the  feet  washed 
before  sitting  down  to  eat,  this  service  being  performed  by  a  servant ;  but  at  this 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  475 

feast  no  servant  was  present,  and  therefore  Jesus  improved  the  occasion  to  act  as 
servant  to  His  disciples  in  order  to  teach  them  humihty,  and  by  an  act  of  supreme 
condescension  reprove  them  for  the  vanity  which  they  had  displayed.  Having 
explained  to  His  disciples,  as  He  had  done  once  before,  how  in  His  Father's 
kingdom  the  lowly  shall  be  esteemed  the  greatest,  and  declared  to  them  their 
appointment  to  sit  as  judges  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel,  He  laid  aside  His 
outer  garment,  and  taking  up  a  towel  and  a  basin  of  water  He  began  to  wash  the 
disciples'  feet.  They  must  have  felt  a  pang  of  conscience  as  they  submitted  thus 
to  be  made  the  recipients  of  their  Lord's  lowly  service,  and  could  not  fail  to 
appreciate  the  lesson  which  the  act  imparted,  but  no  word  of  remonstrance,  no 
confession  of  regret,  no  expression  of  desire  to  relieve  Jesus  of  the  humility 
which  He  took  upon  Himself  was  made,  until  Peter  was  reached.  Then  the  first 
exhibition  of  shame  w^as  manifested:  "Lord,  dost  Thou  wash  my  feet?"  said 
Peter  ;  "I,  the  servant,  cannot  submit  that  the  Master  shall  perform  such  an  act 
of  servitude  to  me. "  "  What  I  do, ' '  replied  Jesus,  ' '  thou  knowest  not  now,  but 
thou  shalt  know  hereafter."  How  very  like  the  words  He  used  when  John 
shrank  from  baptizing  Him  !  But  Peter  was  blind  to  the  purpose  which  Jesus 
had,  and  with  a  touch  of  indignation  he  therefore  declared,  "Thou  shalt  never 
wash  my  feet. ' '  With  a  look  of  sorrowing  pity,  and  of  extreme  tenderness,  and 
of  merciful  compassion,  Jesus  looked  up  into  Peter's  eyes  and  answered  him  : 
"  If  I  wash  thee  not,  thou  hast  no  part  with  Me."  Ah,  Peter,  j-ou  cannot  resist 
this  loving  appeal ;  you  cannot  withstand  this  affectionate  invitation  ;  you  cannot 
reject  this  offering  of  brotherhood  in  Christ.  In  a  moment  Peter's  heart  was 
touched,  and  the  fountain  of  his  loyalty  was  opened  and  came  pouring  out  its 
devotion  with  the  impetuosity  of  a  cataract :  "  Yes,  Lord,"  he  exclaimed,  "  if  it 
be  a  symbol  of  your  love,  you  may  wash  not  only  my  feet,  but  my  hands 
and  my  head  also."  The  lesson  had  borne  fruit,  for  not  only  Peter  but  the 
rest  as  well  saw  how  this  washing  performed  by  Jesus  had  in  it  a  two- fold 
significance,  teaching  not  only  humbleness  and  brotherly  love,  but  that  it  ser\'ed 
also  to  show  the  need  of  purification  by  daily,  yea  hourly,  cleansing  of  the  heart 
from  evil  thoughts,  vanities  and  self  ambitions.  "If,"  said  Jesus,  in  the  instruc- 
tions which  He  gave  after  the  feet-washing  was  finished,  "  I  then,  your  Lord  and 
Master,  have  washed  your  feet,  ye  ought  also  to  wash  one  another's  feet.  For  I 
have  given  you  an  example  that  ye  should  do  as  I  have  done  to  you." 

The  Betrayer  at  the  Feast. 

As  they  sat  at  the  table  Jesus,  referring  again  to  the  act  of  washing  the  feet 
as  a  symbol  of  purification,  and  with  appearance  of  great  grief  said,  "  Ye  are  not 
all  clean,  I  know  whom  I  have  chosen  ;  he  who  eateth  bread  with  Me,  hath  lifted 
up  his  heel  against  Me."     The  disciples  were  in  ignorance  of  His  meaning  until 


476  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

He  spoke  plainly.  "One  of  you  which  eateth  with  Me,  whose  hand  is  with  Me 
on  the  table,  shall  betray  Me."  In  an  instant  every  eye  is  lifted  with  profound 
astonishment,  and  the  faces  of  the  disciples  turn  in  amazement  every  way,  surprise 
looking  on  in  violent  disturbment.  What  does  He  mean  ?  Who  shall  betray 
Him  ?  How  could  perfidy  find  a  brooding  among  His  friends  ?  It  was  an  awful 
assertion,  and  to  gain  revealment  of  the  traitorous  act  each  of  the  disciples  ask  in 
great  agitation,  "Lord,  is  it  I?"  But  the  inquiry  brings  no  answer.  What, 
shall  we  all  lie  under  the  ban  of  this  dreadful  imputation  ?  Shall  each  one  regard 
with  suspicion  the  other  ?  Will  He  not  tell  us  who  tl,iis  traitor  is,  that  the  innocent 
may  not  suffer  possible  accusing  ?  The  suspense  is  terrible,  and  Peter  can  endure  it 
no  longer  ;  therefore,  knowing  the  confidential  relation  which  John  bore  towards 
Jesus,  he  begs  him  to  discover  if  possible  who  shall  be  the  betrayer.  The  answer 
which  Christ  had  withheld  from  others  He  vouchsafed  to  John,  whispering,  "He 
it  is  to  whom  I  shall  give  a  sop  when  I  have  dipped."  Having  answered  the 
question,  Jesus  pronounced  the  unutterable  woe  that  should  come  upon  the  traitor, 
and  then  extended  his  hand  to  dip  into  the  dish.  The  eye  of  John  was  now 
riveted  upon  Him  ;  His  hand  was  the  focus  of  every  look,  thought  and  expectation 
of  the  disciple,  who  alone  of  the  Twelve  knew  how  the  betrayer  would  be  desig- 
nated. Judas  must  have  sat  near  Jesus,  for  when  the  Master's  hand  was  with- 
drawn from  the  dish  it  held  the  sop  that  was  offered  to  Judas,  who,  at  the  same 
moment,  not  understanding  the  significance  of  the  offer,  asked,  "Lord,  is  it  I?  " 
In  a  low  voice  Jesus  answered,  "  Thou  hast  said,"  or,  "  It  is  you  who  shall  be- 
tray Me,"  But,  with  lowering  brow,  Jesus  continued,  "What  thou  doest,  do 
quickly  ;"  "Whatever  be  3^our  scheme,  and  your  plotting,  do  quickly  what  you 
have  intended.  If  you  have  made  a  bargain  to  sell  my  life,  keep  your  bonds  : 
when  My  eAemies  seek  Me  they  shall  have  no  cause  to  search  long,  for  I  am 
ready." 

Judas  could  not  remain  quiet  under  this  arraignment,  for  though  the  other 
disciples,  save  John,  did  not  understand  the  meaning  of  Jesus'  words,  Judas  felt 
like  one  whose  crime  has  photographed  itself  upon  his  face,  and,  hastily  rising,  he 
went  out  without  so  much  as  a  word  of  excuse  to  his  brethren. 

After  Judas  had  departed,  possibly  more  resolute  in  purpose  to  deliver  his 
Master  into  the  power  of  His  enemies,  Jesus  resumed  His  discourse  with  the  dis- 
ciples in  a  more  hopeful  spirit,  and  spoke  of  how  His  Father  would  glorify  Him 
and  the  blessings  which  would  come  from  His  offering  up.  Afiectionately,  pater- 
nall3^  He  said  to  them,  "Little  children,  yet  a  little  while  I  am  with  3^ou.  Ye 
shall  seek  Me,  and  as  I  said  unto  the  Jews,  whither  I  go  ye  cannot  come,  so  now  I 
say  to  j'ou.  A  new  commandment  I  give  unto  you,  that  j^ou  love  one  another  as 
I  have  loved  5'ou.  By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  My  disciples  if  ye  have 
love  one  to  another." 


I 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  477 

Peter's   Enthusiastic   Loyalty. 

Peter,  the  most  emotional,  vehement  and  eager  of  all  the  Twelve,  anxiously 
asked,  ' '  Lord,  whither  goest  Thou  ?  ' '  But  receiving  no  reply,  in  a  spirit  of  great 
fervidncss   he  continued,  "Why,  Lord,  I   am  ready  to  go  with  Thee,  both   into 


111',   io  WHOM   I  SHAUL,  GivH  A  SOP." — Frotii  the  Paiutiiij^  l)_v  tie  Ce.spudt-s. 

prison  and  unto  death. ' '  Was  not  this  zealous  spirit  of  Peter's  like  that  of  the  rich 
young  man,  who  felt  no  sacrifice  was  too  great  for  him  to  make  that  he  might 
inherit  eternal  life,  until  Jesus  asked  him  to  give  away  his  riclies  ?  True  courage 
cannot  be  shown  in  the  absence  of  peril,  nor  can  devotion  be  proved  except  in  the 


478  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

presence  of  sacrifices.  Peter,  while  holding  a  strong  attachment  for  Jesus,  was 
not  yet  free  from  the  common  weaknesses  which  influence  nine  hundred  and 
ninety-nine  men  out  of  every  thousand,  and  Jesus  would  now  show  him  that  his 
profession  of  sincerity  was  but  the  prompting  of  a  momentary  impulse,  and  that 
under  trial  he  too  would  be  found  wanting.  Therefore  said  Jesus  to  him,  "  Wilt 
thou  lay  down  thy  life  for  My  sake  ?  Why,  I  tell  thee,  Peter,  the  cock  shall  not 
crow  this  day,  before  thou  shalt  thrice  deny  that  thou  knowest  Me."  Then  to  the 
disciples  Jesus  addressed  words  of  warning,  telling  them  that  while  they  were 
with  Him  they  lacked  nothing,  but  that  now  he  was  to  be  removed  henceforth 
they  must  prepare  to  defend  themselves  against  persecutions.  Thinking  that 
Christ  spoke  literally,  they  answered  Him,  "  I^ord,  behold  here  are  two  swords," 
but  these  were  not  the  weapons  he  meant  should  be  opposed  to  the  enemies  of  the 
gospel.  L,ess  than  one  sword  was  enough  ;  no  weapon  could  help  them  save  that 
alone  which  proceeded  from  the  word  of  God. 

The  Last  Discourse. 

The  supper  had  now  progressed  so  far  that  the  lamb  was  next  to  be  eaten,  the 
first  courses  being  of  wine,  unleavened  bread  and  bitter  herbs.  The  last  cup  of 
wine  was  set  before  them,  when  Jesus  took  up  a  loaf  of  bread,  and  blessing  it, 
gave  to  each  of  the  disciples  a  piece,  saying,  "  Take,  eat ;  this  is  My  body,  which 
is  broken  for  you  ;  do  this  in  remembrance  of  Me."  How  solemn  must  have  been 
the  utterance  of  this  injunction,  signifying  as  it  did  the  suffering  which  He  was  to 
endure  within  another  day  for  the  sins  of  the  world.  "  And  He  took  the  cup  and 
gave  thanks,  and  gave  it  to  them,  saying,  '  Drink  ye  all  of  it ;  for  this  is  My  blood 
of  the  New  Testament,  which  is  shed  for  many  for  the  remission  of  sins  ;  this  do 
ye,  as  oft  as  ye  do  it,  in  remembrance  of  Me.'  "  As  ye  do  it,  think  of  the  mercies 
I  have  showed,  of  the  sick  that  I  healed,  the  afflicted  that  I  lifted  up  into  health, 
the  dead  that  I  restored,  the  cross  of  agony  to  which  I  am  to  be  bound.  Think 
of  the  thorns  in  My  brow,  the  lacerations  of  My  flesh  under  the  scourge,  the  nailed 
hands  and  feet,  the  pierced  side,  and  know  ye  that  this  is  the  sacrifice  of  which 
this  supper  shall  be  a  memorial,  to  be  repeated  by  Christians  in  all  the  ages  to 
come  in  the  life  of  this  world. 

The  words  spoken  by  Jesus,  many  of  the  disciples  must  have  understood  as 
being  figurative  of  his  sacrifice,  which  the  supper  was  to  commemorate,  else  they 
would  have  questioned  him  concerning  its  significance.  It  also  appears  that  they 
now,  for  the  first  time,  fully  comprehended  the  awful  sacrifice  He  was  soon  to  make, 
and  that  no  power  would  be  interposed  to  prevent  it.  They  were,  therefore,  cast 
down  with  sorrow  at  a  realization  that  He  was  to  be  'taken  away  from  them. 
Their  grief  was  not  such  as  that  felt  by  a  man  who  loses  a  friend,  or  a  parent  who 
loses  a  child,  or  a  child  who  loses  a  parent,      To  Christians  death  is  robbed  of  its 


ji-;si's  ('.i\MM'.  'I'liic  CI'"  'I'll  IMS  i>i->  ii'i.i 


(47y) 


48o  FROM    MANGER   TO  THRONE. 

pangs  by  faith  in  a  glorious  resurrection,  and  a  reunion  in  a  happier  country  that 
lies  beyond  the  shadows  and  the  sufferings  of  this  life.  The  loss  of  Jesus  was  to  the 
disciples  a  loss  of  God  ;  they  had  not  yet  that  consoling  and  soul-uplifting  concep- 
tion of  Jesus  which  we  have  ;  the  Church  that  should  impart  that  faith  was  only  in 
process  of  building  ;  the  foundation  stone  had  been  laid  and  the  superstructure 
begun  ;  but  its  sanctuaries  were  still  unfinished.  Having,  therefore,  compassion  on 
the  friends  who  had  followed  Him  thus  far,  He  would  cheer  them  with  parting  words 
of  condolement :  "  lyCt  not  your  hearts  be  troubled  ;  ye  believe  in  God,  believe  also 
in  Me.  In  My  Father's  house  are  many  mansions  ;  if  it  were  not  so  I  would  have 
told  you.  And  if  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will  come  again  and,  receive 
3^ou  unto  Myself;  that  where  I  am,  there  ye  may  "be  also.  These  things  I  have 
spoken  unto  you,  that  in  Me  ye  might  have  peace.  In  the  world  ye  shall  have 
tribulation,  but  be  of  good  cheer  :   I  have  overcome  the  world." 

Thomas  and  Philip  could  not  yet  understand  Him  ;  their  faith  was  not  yet 
established  ;  they  had  no  comprehension  of  the  resurrection  into  eternal  life  through 
the  life  that  Jesus  was  to  give,  and,  therefore,  they  asked  the  way  which  led  to 
Him,  and  a  revealment  of  the  Father.  Jesus  answered,  ' '  I  am  the  way  ;  follow 
My  teachings,  and  you  will  hi  ve  a  guide  that  will  not  mislead  you.  If  ye  had 
known  Me  ye  should  have  known  My  Father  also  ;  he  that  hath  seen  Me  hath  seen 
the  Father.  I  will  nc  t  leave  you  comfortless.  I  will  come  to  you,  for  My  Spirit 
will  be  to  you  a  constant  consolement.  Yet  a  little  while,  and  the  world  seeth  Me 
no  more  ;  but  ye  shall  see  Me  in  the  encouragements  which  you  will  derive 
from  a  remembrance  of  Me  and  My  promises.  Peace  I  leave  with  you  ;  My  peace 
I  give  unto  you.  If  ye  loved  Me  ye  would  rejoice  because  I  said  I  go  unto  My 
Father,  there  to  prepare  a  place  for  you  in  which  w^e  shall  meet  to  abide  together 

forever. 

On  the  Way  to  Gethsemane. 

It  was  now  late  in  the  evening,  and  the  supper  being  ended,  Jesus  arose  and 
with  His  disciples  went  out  into  the  night  and  towards  the  Garden  of  Geth- 
semane, which  was  something  more  than  half  a  mile  from  the  walls  of  the  cit}^ 
and  just  across  the  brook  Kedron.  This  beautiful  spot,  shaded  with  orchards  of 
olive,  fig  and  pomegranate,  was  a  place  frequently  resorted  to  by  Christ  and  His 
disciples,  and  as  the  night  was  one  of  merry-making  in  Jerusalem,  as  it  was  a 
night  of  gloom  and  sorrow  to  Jesus,  He  repaired  to  the  garden  to  spend  the  hours 
in  preparation  for  the  awful  event  of  the  morrow. 

As  Christ  and  the  eleven  passed  out  of  the  chamber  where  they  had  eaten 
the  Passover,  He  resumed  His  discourse,  and  probably  drawing  the  simile  from  a 
fruitful  vine  which  He  saw  on  the  way,  said  to  his  followers,  ' '  I  am  the  true  vine, 
and  My  Father  is  the  husbandman."  Comparing  His  disciples  wdth  the  branches. 
He  warned  them  that  if  they  bore  no  fruit,  then  would  they  be  cut  off  from  the 


(4«U 


482  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

rewards  which  He  had  promised  to  give  those  who  faithfully  served  Him  ;  but 
that  if  they  were  productive  of  good  works,  then  would  they  be  encouraged  by 
an  increase  of  faith  to  continue  steadfast  in  doing  the  will  of  God  and  in  the 
spreading  of  the  gospel. 

"  I  would  have  you  know,"  said  Jesus,  "  that  as  I  have  been  persecuted  so 
will  you  be,  but  you  should  bear  everything  for  My  sake,  because  while  you  rec- 
ognize Me  as  Master,  yet  I  so  love  you  that  you  shall  bear  to  Me  the  relation  of 
iriends.  I  have  been  hated  without  cause,  and  the  prejudice  of  the  Jews  which 
has  assailed  Me,  and  which  pursues  Me  to  the  death,  will  continue  against  you. 
They  shall  put  you  out  of  the  synagogues  ;  yea,  the  time  cometh,  that  whoso- 
ever killeth  you  will  think  that  he  doeth  God  -service.  A  little  while,  and  ye 
shall  not  see  Me  ;  and  again,  a  little  while,  and  ye  shall  see  Me,  because  I  go  to 
My  Father." 

The  disciples  wondered  what  He  signified  by  declaring  that  after  His  disap- 
pearance they  should  see  Him  soon  again,  but  Jesus  did  not  see  proper  to  tell 
them  plainly  that  after  His  crucifixsion  He  would  appear  to  them,  and  that  they 
should  be  the  happy  witnesses  of  His  ascension.  He  preferred  to  merely  arouse  their 
curiosity  now,  in  order  that  they  should  become  more  impressed  with  the  truth 
of  all  He  had  told  them,  when  they  saw  the  fulfillment  of  his  words.  After  talk- 
ing thus  with  His  disciples,  Jesus  lifted  His  voice  in  prayer,  praising  God  for  the 
glory  which  was  about  to  be  manifested  by  His  offering  up.  And  He  prayed 
fervidly  for  His  disciples,  that  they  might  ever  remain  so  faithful  that  their  union 
in  Him  should  be  forever  indissoluble  ;  and  as  He  had  been  sent  into  the  world, 
so  had  He  sent  the  disciples  upon  a  mission  of  like  mercy,  which  He  petitioned 
God  to  sanctify. 

Whether  the  latter  portion  of  Jesus'  discourse  was  delivered  on  the  way  to 
Gethsemane,  or  in  the  room  where  the  Passover  was  celebrated,  must  continue  to 
be  a  subject  for  dispute  ;  but  the  import  of  His  teachings  and  affectionate  counsel 
and  comfortings  cannot  be  impaired  by  the  indefiniteness  of  the  place  where  He 
delivered  them. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE    GROAN    IN   THE    GARDEN. 

©ETHSEMANE,  which  had  so  often  invited  Jesus  to  its  shady  groves, 
and  where  nature  held  communion  with  nature's  God,  and  voice  of 
prayer  had  mingled  with  the  perfume  of  bursting  bloom,  was  now  to 
become  a  wailing  place,  where  agony  should  dethrone  comforting 
joy,  and  where  invocation  and  praise-offering  should  give  place  to  prayer  of 
lamentation. 

The  crisis — grim,  ghastly,  overpowering, — was  at  hand,  and  Christ  sought 
the  seclusion  of  Gethsemane  in  which  to  strengthen  His  soul  against  the  hour  of 
His  supreme  suflfering.  Peaceful  garden,  still  as  a  sleeping  babe,  scarcely  a 
zephyr  stirring  leaf  of  olive,  branch  of  fig,  or  twig  of  pomegranate,  while  the 
round  moon  throws  down  her  silvery  stairway  as  if  bidding  all  the  world  to 
mount  into  the  skies.  Into  this  quiet  retreat  Jesus  and  the  eleven  entered,  as 
voice  of  hallelujah  reached  their  ears,  borne  on  the  still  night-air  from  worshipers 
in  Jerusalem  ;  the  song  of  the  psalm  singer,  "  Not  unto  us,  O  Lord,  not  unto  us, 
but  unto  Thy  name  give  glory,  for  Thy  mercy  and  for  Thy  truth's  sake."  And, 
"  Blessed  be  He  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  Jehovah."  Strange  words  were 
these  now,  though  sung  at  the  conc^asion  of  the  Passover  feast,  for,  instead  of 
giving  glory  to  God,  the  priests  w^re  coming  to  execute  His  Son,  to  condemn 
His  mercy,  to  stifle  truth.  Jesus  listened  until  the  song  was  finished,  then  turn- 
ing to  His  disciples  He  bade  eight, of  them  remain  by  the  gate,  while  with  Peter, 
John  and  James  He  went  a  little  further  towards  the  deeper  shades.  Here  He 
paused,  and  with  a  look  of  grieving  He  said  to  them,  "My  soul  is  exceeding 
sorrowful,  even  unto  death  ;  tarry  ye  here  and  watch  with  Me."  Now  see  Him 
turning  slowly  away,  and  retiring  alone  a  short  distance,  to  the  bending  bow  of 
an  olive  tree  under  which  the  shadows  lie  deepest.  My  God  !  Mark  Him  now, 
as  in  agony  He  drops  down  and  falls  on  His  face,  and  tears  fill  His  eyes,  and 
intense  suffering  wrinkles  His  brow,  and  appalling  grief  quivers  on  His  lips. 
Oh,  hear  His  prayer,  rolling  up  from  His  immaculate  soul  and  filling  all  the 
heavens  with  grief,  "Abba,  Father,  all  things  are  possible  unto  Thee.  O,  My 
Father,  if  Thou  be  willing,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from  Me  ;  never- 
theless, not  My  will,  but  Thine  be  done."  God  not  only  hears  that  prayer,  but 
all  the  eternal  hosts  fall  down  in  sorrow,  and  all  heaven  is  in  lamentation  ;  and 
out  from  that  bright  land  where  other  grief  is  unknown  came  speeding  a  winged 

(483) 


484  FROM    MANGER  TO  THRONE. 

messenger,  a  celestial  comforter,  bearing  words  of  encouragement ;  but  His  is  a 
grief  which  even  angels  may  not  assuage.  Again  see  Jesus  in  prayer,  with  yet 
more  earnest  supplication,  and  see  how  His  anguish  has  started  the  bloody  sweat 
upon  His  forehead,  falling,  drop  by  drop,  upon  the  ground,  precious  sacrifice  for 
sinful  men.  Oh,  can  it  be,  can  it  be,  that  this  is  Jesus,  who  gathered  fragrance 
from  the  frankincense  brought  to  His  cradle,  and  from  lilies  that  flung  their 
sweetness  into  His  sermons,  and  from  the  box  of  alabaster  that  broke  at  His  feet  ? 
Is  this  Jesus,  the  comforter  at  Bethany,  the  resurrector  at  Nain,  the  oculist  at 
Bethsaida?  Is  this  the  Christ,  whose  frown  is  the  storm,  whose  smile  is  the  sun- 
light, the  spring  morning  His  breath,  the  thunder  His  voice,  the  ocean  a  drop  on 
the  tip  of  His  finger,  heaven  a  sparkle  on  the  bosom  of  His  love,  the  universe  the 
flying  dust  of  His  chariot  wheel  ?  Is  this  Christ,  who  is  able  to  heal  a  heart- 
break, or  hush  a  tempest,  or  drown  a  world,  or  flood  immensity  with  His  glory  ? 
Ay,  it  is  He,  the  I^ord  of  earth  and  heaven  ;  He  who  had  dwelt  in  the  palaces  of 
eternity,  and  to  whom  all  worlds  owed  allegiance  !  Yes,  it  is  our  Lord  sufiering 
all  torments  of  which  His  human  nature  is  capable. 

After  an  hour  of  soulful  prayer,  Jesus  rises  and  goes  to  the  three  disciples 
whom  He  had  set  to  watch,  but  they,  overcome  with  sorrow,  had  fallen  asleep. 
He  first  rouses  Peter,  that  most  fervidly  earnest  one,  of  whom  He  asked,  not  in 
spirit  of  complaining,  "  Couldst  not  thou  watch  one  hour?  "  and  to  the  others  He 
addressed  a  like  question,  saying,  "  Why  sleep  ye?  Rise,  watch  and  pray,  that 
ye  enter  not  into  temptation  ;  the  spirit  indeed  is  willing,  but  the  flesh  is  weak." 

After  thus  arousing  and  counselling  them,  Jesus  went  away  again  and  prayed 
as  before,  but  returning  a  second  time  He  found  the  three  disciples  still  sleeping, 
and  awakening  them  He  retired  for  a  third  time,  and  yet  again  returned  to  find 
them  in  deep  slumber.  Poor  souls,  it  had  been  a  week  of  excitement  with  them, 
in  which  fear  and  grief  had  kept  a  mastery  of  their  senses,  until  exhausted,  they 
could  endure  no  more.  Sleep  had  dropped  down  like  a  curtain  to  hide  from  them 
the  anxieties  which  had  come,  and  which  were  increasing  ;  therefore  said  Jesus, 
"Sleep  on  now,  and  take  your  rest  for  a  little  while.  You  could  do  nothing  to 
aid  Me  ;  the  hour  is  come  when  I  shall  be  betrayed  into  the  hands  of- sinners." 
But  soon  He  again  disturbed  them,  saying,  "  Rise  up  ;  let  us  go  ;  behold,  he  that 
betrayeth  Me  is  at  hand." 

What  was  the  Cup  of  Bitterness? 

If  Jesus  was  sent  into  the  world  to  be  made  a  sacrifice  for  our  sins  ;  if,  in  the 
divine  economy,  it  was  ordained  from  the  beginning  that  He  should  suffer 
and  make  expiation  for  the  transgressions  of  all  nations  and  all  generations  ;  and 
if  in  Him  were  the  attributes  of  a  God,  why  did  He  agonize  when  the  hour  of 
fulfillment  of  his  mission  was  at  hand  ? 


FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


485 


In  Jesus,  as  before  explained,  there  was  the  dual  nature  of  man  and  God,  He 
being  the  link  which  bound  the  human  to  the  spiritual,  thus  being  a  mediator 
between  mankind  and  God.  Having  been  sent  as  an  example  to  man,  His  human 
nature  had  predominance  for  the  time  over  his  spiritual  nature,  otherwise  those 
whom  He  taught  would  have  been  less  able  to  comprehend  Him.  In  His  acts  He 
exhibited  the  power  of  a  God,  but  in  His  teachings  and  examples  His  human 


ANCIENT  OLIVE  TREES  IN  THE   GARDEN   OF  GETHSEMANE. 

attributes  showed  most  conspicuously,  and  hence  He  was  subject  to  and  alike 
sensible  to  human  pleasures  and  sufferings. 

But  why  did  God,  the  Father,  accept  His  Son  as  a  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  the 
world  ?  Christ  and  God  being  one,  did  God  share  the  agony  with  Christ,  and  if 
so^  how  ?     An  incident  of  history  will  best  answer  these  questions. 

Story  of  the  Captain's  only  Child. 

A  captain  set  sail  across  the  Atlantic  with  his  ship  heavily  laden  with  valuable 
merchandise.  He  had  a  large  crew  of  men  of  different  nationalities  picked  up 
from  among  the  many  sailors  who  resort  to  the  wharves  of  great  seaport  cities, 
seeking  engagements.     This  captain  had  a  son,  a  bright  boy  of  a  dozen  years. 


485  FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

with  blue  eyes,  and  tender  looks,  and  affectionate  ways,  ever  obedient,  devoted  to 
his  father,  and  faithful  to  any  duty  entrusted  to  him.  It  would  be  a  strange 
father  who  did  not  love  such  a  son,  and  it  would  be  stranger  still  if  his  affections 
were  not  increased  by  the  fact  that  he  was  an  only  child.  Our  love  is  like  our 
senses :  If  we  lose  an  eye  the  other  receives  additional  strength  ;  if  one  of  our 
arms  be  cut  off  the  other  becomes  abnormally  developed  ;  if  we  lose  hearing  in 
one  ear  the  other  grows  more  acute,  and  thus  it  is  that  nature  compensates  some- 
what for  such  losses.  The  same  law  of  re-enforcement  applies  to  our  affections  : 
If  a  man  have  many  children  he  loves  them  all,  but  the  man  who  has  only  one 
child  is  more  devoted  to  it,  he  loves  it  with  a  deeper  intensity  than  if  his  love  were 
distributed  among  several. 

Well,  this  captain  loved  his  only  son  with  such  attachment  and  fervidness 
that  he  was  miserable  when  the  boy  was  out  of  his  sight,  he  was  always  fearful 
lest  some  harm  should  come  to  him. 

The  voyage  had  not  been  entirely  propitious  at  the  start,  but  when  the  ship 
was  not  far  from  the  coast  of  the  country  to  which  she  was  sailing  a  storm  arose. 
The  wind  first  came  beating  up  from  the  south,  and  dark  clouds  rolled  up  in  the 
west,  and  as  they  boiled  and  grew  more  ominous  the  batteries  of  heaven  opened 
fire,  turning  cloud  into  blaze  and  dazzling  flash  and  thundering  roar.  The  captain 
saw  that  a  gale  would  follow,  which  might  develop  into  a  dangerous  storm,  and 
he  made  haste  to  prepare  for  it.  The  sails  were  furled,  save  the  main-course 
retained  to  give  the  ship  steerage  way  ;  the  jib  and  main,  and  the  studding  sail 
and  the  square-sail  booms  were  secured,  the  hatches  were  batted  down,  and  the 
ship  made  ready  to  run  with  bare  poles  before  the  wind.  Soon  the  storm  struck 
her  with  such  force  that  a  landsman  on  board  would  have  thought  the  ship  doomed. 
With  stroke  of  wind  came  dash  of  wave  ;  and  while  the  ratlines  and  the  stays 
rattled  like  hail  on  a  window-pane,  the  great  billows  dashed  up  in  mad  endeavor 
to  rend  and  engulf ;  higher  and  higher  came  the  waves,  fiercer  and  fiercer  grew 
the  winds,  the  thunder  pealed  louder,  the  lightning  flashed  faster  and  more  blind- 
ing, and  the  rain  beat  down  in  torrential  flow.  Oh,  it  was  a  terrible  storm,  and 
nothing  but  a  strong  ship  could  weather  it.  After  hours  of  battling,  the  horror 
of  the  situation  was  a  thousand  times  increased  by  the  discovery  that  the  ship's 
timbers  were  sprung  by  the  irresistible  impact  of  tremendous  waves,  and  she  was 
making  water  rapidly.  "  To  the  pumps  !  To  the  pumps  ! ' '  Every  man  of  that 
crew  must  now  do  his  duty,  it  is  a  work  against  death,  human  power  opposing 
element  of  wind  and  wave,  with  darkness  coming  on.  But  labor,  as  they  might, 
the  water  gained  steadily  in  the  hold  and  the  mad  billows  rolled  up  and  over  in 
greater  fury.  What  is  that  noise  roaring  like  thunder  in  pulsation  above  the 
howling  of  furious  blast  and  madly  impetuous  surge  ?  Breakers  !  Breakers  ! 
Heave  the  anchor  !     But  it  will  not  hold.     Eire  the  gun  !     But  it  cannot  be  heard. 


THE  AGONY  IN  THE  GARDEN. — Drawii  by  Dore. 


(487) 


488  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

Send  up  the  rockets  !  Alas,  who  shall  touch  them  off  in  the  sea  that  is  now 
running  over  as  well  as  under  ?  Who  will  carry  a  distress  signal  to  the  peak  of 
the  main  royal  yard — the  peak  halliards  are  blown  away  with  the  main  royal  yard  ! 
Who  will  go  up  ?  No  one  volunteers  ;  it  is  an  undertaking  that  seems  to  involve 
certain  death,  and  though  death  is  striding  the  deck,  better  to  meet  him  there 
than  away  up  among  the  topmost  yard  arms.  Every  face  is  pinched  with  fear, 
ever}^  breath  is  stilled  to  hear  a  word  of  encouragement.  Presently  a  thin  voice 
pours  itself  into  the  captain's  ear  :  "  Father,  I  will  go  up."  See  the  tears  rush 
into  his  eyes,  and  where  there  was  boldness  and  determination  before,  see  now  an 
emotion  which  wrings  that  father's  heart.  But  time  is  precious,  beyond  the  hurt- 
ling clouds  lies  heaven  ;  beyond  the  storm  lies  the  sunshine.  ' '  My  brave  boy, 
here  is  the  distress  signal,  carry  it  up  ;  when  my  beloved  child  is  willing  to  make 
such  a  sacrifice,  God  is  not  far  off."  The  child  seizes  it  in  a  firm  hand  and 
mounts  to  the  maintop,  "  Oh,  father,  the  wind  blows  so  hard."  "  lyook  up,  my 
son,  and  go  on,"  and  the  child  climbs  to  the  main  cap.  "  Oh,  father,  it  is  so  dark 
that  I  cannot  see  j^ou."  "  Look  up,  my  son,  and  go  on."  And  still  upward  the 
fear-beset  boy  climbs  until  his  feet  are  on  the  cross-trees.  "  Oh,  father,  my  limbs 
are  weak  and  I  am  almost  blown  off."  "  Look  up,  my  son,  and  go  on."  With 
nerveless  grasp  the  heroic  child  still  ascends  until  he  reaches  the  main  royal  yard, 
where  the  main  royal  mast  has  been  broken  off  by  the  force  of  the  wind  wrestling 
with  the  pennant.  And  there  he  fixes  the  signal.  What  a  shout  went  up  from 
the  crew.  Brave  boy,  a  hero  among  a  million,  all  the  w^orld  must  know  of  that 
act,  generations  must  not  forget  it.  But  the  father  is  silent,  his  heart  seems  to 
have  been  frozen  by  the  icy  terror  that  was  upon  him  from  the  moment  that  his 
beloved  and  only  child  left  the  deck  to  clinjb  the  ratlines  and  the  topmost  mast, 
until  God  delivered  him  safely  into  his  arms  again.  See  the  answering  signal 
from  the  shore.  Now  the  life-boats  put  out ;  closer  and  closer  they  draw,  while 
the  foundering  ship  moves  swiftly  towards  the  rocks.  Boom  !  It  is  the  glad  sound 
of  the  gun  that  fires  the  lifeline.  It  struck,  and,  God  be  praised,  it  is  made  fast. 
Saved.  Yes,  through  the  heroism  of  that  boy,  the  idol  of  a  father,  the  whole  crew 
is  saved.  What  though  the  ship  be  lost,  shall  our  gladn&ss  be  less?  No,  it  shall 
be  all  the  greater,  for  now  we  know  that  the  crew  also  would  have  been  lost  but 
for  the  sacrifice  alike  of  father  and  only  child. 

The  Arrest  of  Jesus. 

When  Judas  went  out  of  the  supper  room  he  repaired  quickly  to  the  high-priest 
and  with  him  completed  arrangements  for  arresting  Christ.  Caiaphas  sent  to  the 
tower  of  Antonia  and  secured  the  services  of  a  squad  of  Roman  soldiers,  while 
other  members  of  the  Sanhedrim  enlisted  a  multitude — we  know  not  how  many 
— of  the  mobocratic  spirits  who  were  ready  to  undertake   any   enterprise  that 


'VVHV  SLKKP   VK?" 


(489) 


490  FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

promised  them  a  small  reward.  They  went  well  prepared  to  resist  any  defence 
which  might  be  made  by  the  followers  of  Jesus,  for  they  were  armed  with  spears- 
and  staves  and  other  weapons.  They  also  took  with  them  torches  and  lanterns, 
for  though  the  moon  was  at  the  full,  the  shades  of  Gethsemane  were  deep,  and  if 
Jesus  should  tr>'  to  escape  by  hiding,  lights  would  be  necessary  in  prosecuting  a 
search.  Judas  led  the  armed  crowd  into  the  garden  where  he  knew  Jesus  often 
resorted,  promising  to  approach  Him  in  the  guise  of  friendship  and  at  the  proper 
time  betray  Him  to  the  officers  by  a  kiss. 

Jesus  had  seen  the  moving  lanterns  as  they  flashed  through  the  trees  and 
vines,  and  knew  that  His  enemies  were  approaching,  and  He  moved  forward  to 
where  lay  the  sleeping  disciples,  whom  He  aroused,  and  made  ready  to  receive 
the  coming  crowd.  Judas  being  in  the  van,  was  first  to  address  our  lyord,  saying, 
"  Master,  Master,"  in  a  tone  of  affected  friendship,  and  then,  drawing  near  enough, 
kissed  Him  on  the  cheek.  To  the  first  salutation  Jesus  replied  in  a  manner 
which  seems  to  indicate  that  He  did  not  know  the  traitorous  motive  of  Judas,  for 
He  replied,  ' '  Friend,  wherefore  art  thou  come  ? ' '  but  when  the  kiss  was  given, 
there  was  to  Jesus  an  apparently  sudden  revealment  of  the  purpose,  and  He  hurt- 
fully  asked,  "Judas,  betrayest  thou  the  Son  of  Man  with  a  kiss  ?  " 

Whom  Seek  Ye? 

The  salutation  of  Judas  brought  the  officers  forward,  whom  Jesus  accosted: 
with  the  inquiry,  "Whom  seek  ye?"  They  answered,  "Jesus  of  Nazareth." 
"  I  am  He,"  was  the  fearless  reply,  uttered  with  a  majesty  that  well  became  a- 
king  of  earth  and  of  heaven.  "  I  am  He  ;  what  would  ye  ?  If  ye  come  to  arrest 
or  to  kill  Me,  behold,  here  I  am  ;  do  what  you  will."  The  officers  were  not  only 
amazed  by  the  boldness  of  His  acknowledgment,  but  were  for  the  moment  over- 
come with  fear.  Did  they  believe  that  He  was  the  Messiah,  and  that  they  were 
in  danger  of  being  destroyed,  as  were  the  fifties  sent  to  arrest  Elijah,  by  an  indig- 
nant God  ?  Struck  with  terror,  the  crowd  fell  to  the  ground,  and  Jesus  might 
have  gone  out  of  their  presence  without  any  effort  made  to  stay  Him,  but  He 
would  not  now  set  aside  the  cup  prepared  for  Him.  And  again-  assuring  them 
that  He  was  Jesus  whom  they  sought.  He  submitted  to  arrest.  As  an  officer, 
named  Malchus,  a  chief  servant  of  Caiaphas,  laid  hand  upon  Him,  Peter  was  so 
wrought  up  by  the  indignity  thus  put  upon  his  Master,  that,  whipping  out  his 
sword,  he  struck  violently  at  the  officer,  who  avoided  the  fatal  blow  intended,  but 
suffered  the  loss  of  an  ear.  Jesus  reproved  this  exhibition  of  rashness  in  the  fervid 
Peter,  saying,  "  Put  up  again  thy  sword  into  its  place  ;  for  all  they  that  take  the 
sword  shall  perish  by  the  sword  ;  "  and  with  a  touch  He  healed  the  wound.  But. 
Jesus  could  not  well  repress  the  scorn  He  felt  for  the  outrage  which  His  enemies, 
had  come  to  inflict  upon  Him,  through  the  mad  envy  and  prejudice  of  ecclesiastical. 


FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONE.  491 

bigotry.  He  asked  them  why  they  came  in  such  force  of  arms  to  bind  Him, 
as  though  He  was  a  thief  who  had  fled  from  justice  ;  why  they  would  thus  invade 
His  privacy  when  He  had  been  daily  preaching  in  the  synagogues,  and  being  so 


THE  KISS  OK  BiCTRAVAl^. — Drawn  by  IJida. 

publicly  before  them  that  they  might  at  any  and  more  seemly  time  and  occasion 
have  arrested  Him.  But  while  He  was  thus  talking,  the  officers  were  binding 
Him,   and  the   disciples  seeing  Him  now  completely  within   the  power  of  His 


492  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

enemies,  they  began  to  think  of  their  own  safety,  and  escaped,  save  Peter  and 
John,  who  did  not  wholly  abandon  Him,  but  followed  the  procession,  keeping 
well  in  the  rear,  back  to  the  city.  As  they  walked  along,  a  young  man,  with 
only  a  linen  cloth  to  cover  his  nakedness,  was  drawn  by  some  motive  to  follow  the 
crowd,  and  was  rudely  seized  by  one  of  the  officers,  but  he  escaped,  leaving  his 
single  garment  in  the  hands  of  the  man  who  would  take  him.  Tradition  says 
this  young  man  was  Mark,  but  with  no  other  reason  than  that  the  incident  is  only 
recorded  by  that  Gospel  writer. 

Jesus  Before  Caiaphas. 

Though  it  was  after  the  middle  watch  of  the  night,  Jesus  was  taken  at  once 
to  the  palace  of  the  high-priest,  or  rather  to  the  high-priests,  for  Annas,  the 
father-in-law  of  Caiaphas,  was  acting  jointly  in  the  office  with  Caiaphas.  Eate 
as  the  hour  was,  there  was  such  excitement,  anxieties,  and  doubtless  jubilations 
of  the  priests  over  His  arrest,  that  when  Jesus  was  brought  into  the  court  of  the 
palace,  Annas  began  at  once  to  question  Him,  asking  about  His  disciples,  who 
they  were,  what  devotion  they  had  shown,  where  they  were  from  ;  and  then  he 
would  know  something  about  His  doctrine.  Jesus  did  not  remain  silent,  but 
spoke  boldly,  saying,  "  Why,  I  have  spoken  openly  to  all  the  world  ;  I  have  had 
no  secret  motives  ;  all  My  teachings  have  been  imparted  in  the  synagogues  before 
large  audiences  of  the  Jews.  Why,  therefore,  do  you  ask  Me  such  questions, 
when  you  might  have  answer  from  any  of  the  thousands  who  have  heard  Me. ' ' 
The  freeness  of  His  speech,  and  His  refusal  to  cringe  in  a  spirit  of  abjection  to 
the  high-priest,  was  resented  by  one  of  the  subservient  minions  of  Annas,  who 
gave  Jesus  a  blow  with  the  palm  of  His  hand,  at  the  same  time  asking,  like  a 
rowdy,  "  Answerest  Thou  the  high-priest  so?"  The  pale  cheek  of  Jesus  took 
on  the  flush  of  pain,  and  He  said,  "  If  I  have  spoken  evil,  bear  witness  of  the 
evil  ;  but  if  well,  why  smitest  thou  Me?  " 

The  Denial  of  Peter. 

When  the  procession  passed  into  the  palace,  John,  who  was  evidently  that 
other  disciple,  unnamed,  went  in  with  the  crowd,  but  Peter,  who  had  followed  at 
some  distance  in  the  rear,  when  he  came  to  the  door  was  refused  admittance,  or 
else  stood  hesitating  to  make  his  desire  for  entrance  known.  John  soon  discov- 
ered his  absence  and  going  out  obtained  permission  of  the  woman  who  guarded 
the  door  for  Peter  to  enter.  Both  must  therefore  have  been  present  when  our 
Eord  suffered  the  outrage  of  a  blow  from  the  hand  of  a  guard,  and  this  showed 
them  that  there  was  now  no  longer  hope  that  Jesus  would  use  His  heavenly-given 
power  to  avert  one  tittle  of  the  suffering  which  He  had  declared  to  them  would 
be  visited  upon  Him.     Despair  and  grief  filled  their  breasts,  they  realized  that  the 


FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


493 


inevitable  was  humiliation,  outrage,  condemnation  and  crucifixion.      It  were  well 
if  they  escaped  like  punishments. 

The  open  court  in  which  Jesus  and  the  crowd  stood  was  very  large,  and  the 
morning  hours 
having  come  it 
grew  so  cold  that 
a  fire  was  start- 
ed,  around 
which  the  as- 
semblage gath- 
ered and  sat 
down,  Peter  be- 
ing among  the 
rest.  As  they 
were  warming 
themselves  the 
porteress  came 
in,  and  as  Annas 
doubtless  de- 
sired identifica- 
tion of  the  stran- 
gers  that  had 
followed  Jesus, 
she  pointed  to 
Peter  and  said 
to  the  officers, 
' '  This  man  was 
with  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,"  and 
directly  to  him, 
"Art  thou  not 
one  of  this  man's 
disciples  ? ' ' 

Peter  had  oc- 
casion  for  a 
double  fear,  be- 
cause he  was  not 
only  under  sus-  ^  Tvpicai,  jkwish  maiukn. — l-Vom  T/ie  O'/n's/iau  Herald. 

picion  by  reason  of  his  being  a  disciple,  but  he  was  liable  to  punishment  for  having 
made  an  attack  upon    Malchus.      He  was  now  wholly  within  the  power  of  his 


494 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


enemies,  the  officers  of  the  law,  and  hence  we  ma^^  well  excuse  him  for  first  giving 
an  ambiguous  answer,  and  afterwards  declaring  that  he  even  did  not  know  Jesus. 
But  his  answer,  made  as  it  was  under  circumstances  which  may  well  give  him 
pardon  for  his  denial,  nevertheless  sorely  troubled  his  conscience  ;  He  rose  up  and 
went  out,  but  as  he  passed  through  the  door  and  out  onto  the  porch  the  cock  crew. 
Here  he  stopped,  desiring  yet  to  linger  as  near  Jesus  as  it  was  prudent,  but  was 
soon  accosted  by  another  woman,  who  accused  him  before  all  the  servants  that 
were  there  of  being  a  disciple,  but  again  Peter  denied,  with  an  oath,  that  he  had 
any  knowledge  of  Jesus. 

About  an  hour  afterward  a  kinsman  of  Malchus  approached  Peter,  saying, 
"  Did  I  not  see  thee  in  the  garden  with  Him?  "  ajid  several  other  servants,  who 
had  been  among  those  who  arrested  Jesus,  crowded  around  him,  each  presenting 
proof  that  Peter  was  one  of  the  disciples,  one  of  them  saying,  ' '  Surely  thou  art 
one  of  them  ;  for  thou  art  a  Galilean,  as  thy  speech  plainly  shows  thee  to  be." 
Then  seeing  that  he  was  certainly  exposed  unless  some  awful  expedient  be  adopted, 
Peter  began  to  swear  and  curse,  and  otherwise  to  demean  himself  so  unlike  the 
reverent  spirited  disciples,  that  he  diverted  the  strong  suspicion  directed  against 
him.  But  as  he  was  thus  manifesting  a  sinful  nature  which  he  really  did  not 
possess,  giving  voice  to  imprecations  and  to  emphatic  denials  of  the  accusings  of 
the  servants,  Peter  heard  the  cock  crow  again,  and  was  startled  by  the  appearance 
of  Jesus  as  He  was  being  led  out  of  the  court,  who,  as  He  passed  by,  cast  a  half- 
reproachful  look  upon  the  miserable  disciple.  On  the  instant  Peter's  tongue  lost 
its  cunning  as  he  recalled  the  warning  and  prediction  of  Christ.  The  enormity 
of  his  sin  rose  up  before  him  in  a  cloud  of  self-condemnation.  He  saw  as  by  a  flash 
how  truly  Jesus  had  measured  his  single-devotedness  and  how  weak  was  the  faith 
which  he  had  asseverated  and  believed  was  invincible  under  the  ordeal  of  any  test. 
Hemorse  overwhelmed  him  and  he  went  out  of  the  court  weeping  bitterly. 


CHAPTER   XXXV. 

THE    SHAM    TRIAL. 

^^^^^  URING  the  preliminary  examination  of  Jesus  before  Annas,  the  chief 
I         ■     priests  had  assembled    in    some  building,  possibly  in  some  hall   in 
^^L       m      Caiaphas'   palace  where  they  presumed    to  sit  as  a   supreme   court 
"^"^       of   the  nation.     The  law  of  theocracy  required  the  assembling  of 
every  member  of  the  Sanhedrim  when  a  vote  was  to  be  taken  on  the  findings  of 
the  lower  courts  in  cases  where  judgment  of  death  had  been  given.     We  may 
therefore  assume  that  Jesus  had  been  thus  judged  by  the  court  of  Annas,  and  that 
when  He  was  led  therefrom  He  was  taken  directly  before  the  Sanhedrim.     The 
proceedings,  however,  were  only  a  matter  of  form,  because  there  was  already  a  pre- 
judgment, so  that  the  finding  of  Annas  needed  only  a  formal  ratification  before 
handing  the  prisoner  over  to  Pilate. 

The  Death  Sentence. 

In  the  examination  and  trial  before  Caiaphas  and  the  Sanhedrim  there  was 
no  more  mercy  or  justice  shown  than  the  infamous  court  of  Annas  had  exhibited 
toward  the  celestial  Prisoner.  There  was  a  dearth  of  prosecuting  witnesses  ;  for 
a  while  no  one  would  come  forward  to  swear  that  they  had  even  heard  Jesus  make 
a  single  blasphemous  utterance,  though  a  large  number  had  been  subpoenaed  and 
brought  into  court,  only  to  be  sent  out  again  because  their  statements  were  con- 
tradictory. There  stood  Jesus,  meantime,  with  no  counsel,  none  to  speak  a  word 
in  His  defence,  the  pre-condemned  victim  of  an  ecclesiastical,  Sanhedric  mob. 
The  judges,  however,  did  not  see  how  they  could  condemn  Him  without  some 
evidence  to  support  their  baseless  charges,  so  at  length  they  secured  two  witnesses 
to  testify  that  Jesus  had  said  in  their  hearing,  ' '  I  will  destroy  this  temple  made 
with  hands,  and  within  three  days  I  will  build  another  made  without  hands." 
This  was  the  resurrection  of  an  utterance  made  by  Jesus  some  time  before,  with 
material  changes  of  what  He  had  really  said,  but  in  no  event  could  it  be  construed 
into  blasphemy  :  so  in  their  desperation  the  judges  had  to  find  some  other  evidence 
upon  which  to  condemn  Him. 

Caiaphas  was  as  cunning  as  he  was  unprincipled,  bigoted  and  cruel,  therefore 
he  began  to  question  Jesus,  saying,  "Do  you  have  no  answer  to  make  to  the 
charge  supported  by  these  witnesses?"  But  his  fierce  inquiry  brought  no  reply 
from  the  lyamb  of  the  world  led  to  the  shambles  of  a  murderous  court.     "  Then," 

(495) 


496 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


said  Caiaphas,  ' '  I  will  put  Him  upon  an  oath  and  ask  Him  a  question  which  will 
convict  Him  either  of  blasphemy  or  of  being  an  impostor. ' '  Caiaphas  therefore 
said  to  Jesus,  "  I  adjure  Thee  by  the  living  God  that  Thou  tell  us  whether  Thou 
be  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God  ? "  It  was  a  momentous  question,  upon  which 
hung  life  or  death  ;  to  speak  truly  was  to  invite  the  cross  ;  to  deny  was  the  avenue 
of  escape.     But  Jesus  answered  bravel)',   "  I  am  ;  nevertheless,  I  say  unto  you, 


PILATE'S   HOUSE   IN  JERUSALEM   AS   IT   NOW   APPEARS. 

hereafter  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  Man  sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  power,  and 
coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven." 

At  this  confession  Caiaphas  flew  into  such  a  passion  that  he  tore  his  clothes, 
and  without  awaiting  action  of  the  Sanhedrim,  he  took  upon  himself  the  respon- 
sibility of  pronouncing  Jesus  guilty  of  blasphemy.  When  a  vote  was  taken  what 
should  be  the  punishment,  every  member  voting  of  that  vindictive,"  merciless  and 
ribald  council  favored  a  death  sentence.  Where  was  Nicodemus  ?  Oh,  he,  like 
the  rich  young  man  and  Peter,  had  lost  his  sense  of  justice  in  the  face  of  danger 
and    sacrifice,   or   else  refused   to   cast    a  vote  ;    and  Joseph  of  Arimathea   was 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


497 


douptless  also  afraid  to  record  lii^  lunust  nui,i,nncnt,  because  the  danger  from 
antagonizing  that  cruel 
body  was  very  great.  It 
might  have  caused  personal 
violence,  or  dismissal  in  dis- 
grace of  the  offending  mem- 
ber. Conviction  and  sen- 
tence were  the  signal  for 
the  mob  to  offer  indignities 
to  the  Lord  of  heaven.  Hell 
was  in  temporary  triumph, 
and  the  prince  of  dafkness 
would  now  visit  persecution 
on  the  Prince  of  Light,  so 
the  rabble  spat  on  Him,  and 
struck  Him  with  their  foul 
ha,nds,  and  spurned  Him 
with  their  filthy  feet,  all  the 
while  mocking  and  deriding 
Him  ;  but  He  bore  all,  suf- 
fered all,  in  fulfillment  of 
the  words  of  Lsaiah,  ' '  He 
was  oppressed,  and  He  was 
aflSicted,  yet  He  opened  not 
His  mouth  ;  He  is  brought 
as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter, 
and  as  a  sheep  before  her 
shearers  is  dumb,  so  He 
opened  not  His  mouth." 

The  charges  against 
Jesus  were  now  drawn  up, 
and  being  duly  attested  and 
sealed,  He  was  conveyed  to 
the  splendid  quarters  of  the 
procurator,  in  the  palace  of 
Herod,  on  Zion  Hill. 

The  accusation  against     thk  ixck  homo  arch,  from  which  pilate  exhibited 
Christ  was  composed  of  two  J^sus  to  the  mob 

principal  charges :  one  that  He  had  blasphemed,  claiming  to  be  the  Messiah  sent 
from  heaven  to  deliver  the  nation.     This  laid  Him  under  the  condemnation  of  the 
32 


498  FROM  MANGER  TO  THRONE. 

Sanhedrim.  The  other  was,  that  He  had  declared  Himself  a  king  who  was  come 
to  rule  over  the  nation.  This  made  Him  answerable  to  the  Roman  law,  and  this 
latter  charge  the  hierarchal  party  would  press  most  virulently,  because  they  could 
not  inflict  the  death  penalty  for  a  violation  of  ecclesiastical  law.  As  the  Jews 
were  now  Rbman  subjects,  condemnation  of  Jesus  to  death  must  be  made  or 
consented  to  by  the  procurator.  Pilate  hated  the  Jews,  and  was  domineering  to 
such  an  extreme,  and  withal  was  so  fiercely  cruel,  that  he  was  justly  named  the 
"Javelin  man."  But  his  tyranny  over  and  vindictive  cruelty  to  the  Jews  did  not 
make  him  forget  that  it  became  him  to  placate  the  rabbis  and  high-priests,  whose 
influence,  if  exerted  against  him,  might  result  in  his  deposement  from  the  high 
office  which  he  held,  and  these  opposing  influences  made  him  the  capricious 
creature  that  he  was.  But  with  all  his  immoralities,  he  had  hardly  such  bitter 
prejudices  as  the  Jews  themselves,  and  was  more  disposed  to  justice,  though  he 
usually  measured  it  out  in  small  quantity  and  tempered  it  with  expediency. 

Jesus  Before  Pilate. 

It  was  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning — of  Thursday — when  Jesus  was 
led  up  the  marble  stairs  of  Herod's  palace,  across  a  floor  of  richest  mosaics,  and 
under  a  ceiling  dyed  and  inlaid  with  all  the  splendors  of  colors,  and  along  snow 
banks  of  white  and  glittering  sculpture.  Condemned  by  one  court  He  was  now 
in  the  hall  of  another,  from  which  mercy  had  been  driven  by  frenzied  passion, 
mad  prejudice  and  wild  ambition. 

To  meet  Him  on  the  tesselated  pavement  comes  out  an  unscrupulous, 
cowardly,  time-serving,  compromising  man,  with  some  few  traces  of  sympathy 
and  fair  dealing  left  in  his  composition  — Governor  Pontius  Pilate.  Did  ever  two 
such  opposites  meet  ?  Luxury  and  pain,  selfishness  and  generosity,  sin  and 
holiness,  arrogance  and  humility,  midnight  and  midnoon,  Pilate  and  Christ.  The 
bloated-lipped  governor  takes  a  cushioned  seat  and  leans  back  at  his  ease.  The 
Prisoner  stands.  His  wrists  manacled.  In  semicircle  around  Him  are  the  fiery 
Sanhedrists,  their  eyes  flashing  and  their  fists  brandished,  prosecuting  the  case 
for  the  sake  of  religion  ;  for  in  all  ages  religious  persecutors  are  the  fiercest  of  all 
persecutors,  and  when  the  devil  does  get  possession  of  good  men  he  makes  up  by 
intensity  for  brevity  of  occupation.  And  if  you  have  never  been  in  an  ecclesiasti- 
cal court  where  they  had  some  one  on  trial,  you  cannot  understand  the  foaming 
infernalism  of  those  old  Jewish  Sanhedrists.  Governor  Pilate  begins  to  cross- 
question  the  Prisoner,  and  finds  Him  innocent,  and  wants  to  let  Him  go.  To  add 
to  his  caution  in  the  matter,  someone  comes  up  and  whispers  in  his  ear.  "  What's 
that  ? ' '  says  the  governor,  his  hand  behind  his  ear  to  catch  the  words  almost  inau- 
dible. It  is  a  message  from  Claudia  Procula,  his  wife,  who  has  had  a  dream  about 
the  Prisoner's  innocence  and  the  danger  of  executing  Him,  and  has  just  awakened 


FROM  MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


499 


from  this  morning  dream  to  send  news  of  it  to  the  governor,  at  that  very  moment 
on  the  judicial  bench.  And  what  with  the  protest  of  his  wife  and  the  voice  of 
his  own  conscience,  and  the  entire  failure  of  the  vSanhedrists  to  make  out  a  case, 
he  resolves  to  dis- 
charge the  Prisoner 
from  custody. 

The  Scourging  of 
Jesus. 

But  that  a  n  - 
nouncement  let  loose 
on  the  governor  an 
equinoctial  storm  of 
indignation.  They 
would  get  him  re- 
called by  the  Em- 
peror Tiberius  at 
Rome.  He  should 
no  more  be  Governor 
of  Judea,  and  how 
would  he  feel  then 
in  disgrace,  and  per- 
haps be  hanged  for 
treason.  He  had 
already  excited  the 
old  emperor' s  sus- 
picion, which  rested 
not  until  it  finally 
did  effect  his  banish- 
ment and  suicide.  So 
Governor  Pilate,  to 
compromise  the  mat- 
te r,  proposes  the 
whipping  of  Christ 
instead  of  His  assas- 
sination.      He    was 

tied  to  a  pillar  near  the  ground,  and  on  His  bent  and  bare  back  came  the  thongs 
of  leather,  with  chunks  of  lead  and  bone  intertwined  to  augment  the  force  and 
horror  of  the  stroke,  and  when  He  was  led  up  from  that  with  flushed  cheeks  and 
torn  and  quivering  and  bleeding  flesh.  He  presented  a  spectacle  of  suffering  in 
which    Rubens  and   Bouguereau  found  the  theme  for  their  great  masterpieces. 


"  BEHOI.D    THK    MAN. 


(50o) 


THE  SCOURGING.— From  the  Painting  by  Bouguereau. 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONK. 


50 1 


But  the  Saiihedrists  were  still  unsatisfied.  They  wanted  not  only  part  of  hit 
nerves  lacerated,  they  wanted  all  of  them  lacerated.  They  did  not  want  a  part  of 
His  blood,  they  wanted  all  of  it, 
down  to  the  last  corpnscle. 

The   Remorse  and   Suicide  of  Juda^. 

The  sentence  of  death  had  now 
been  passed  by  the  Sanhedrim  and 
the  execution  of  Jesus  was  a  fore- 
gone conclusion. 

Jerusalem  was  never  before  so 
excited  over  the  approaching  death 
of  any  man,  and  the  public  agita- 
tion extended  rapidly  over  the  out- 
lying districts.  Where  were  the 
nine  apostles  that  fled  in  dismay 
when  the  Roman  cohort  and  the 
rabbinical  following  invaded  Geth- 
semane  ?  Perhaps  they  had  not  gone 

out  of  Jerusalem,  yet  it  is  probable  that  they  extended 
their  flight  to  Bethany,  Bethphage  or  Bethlehem,  where 
they  might  yet  keep  informed  of  the  events  transpiring  in 
Jerusalem.  But  Judas  surely  did  not  leave  the  city  ; 
he  was  like  a  criminal  held  by  some  mysterious  force  to 
the  vicinity  where  the  dead  body  of  his  victim  lies,  and 
when  the  crucifixion  of  Christ  was  fixed  to  occur  within 
a  few  hours,  the  news  of  this  horrible  determination 
promptly  reached  Judas'  ears. 

When  the  tragic  result  of  his  traitorous  enterprise 
loomed  up  before  him  like  some  creation  of  distemper, 
when  he  saw  the  blood  of  innocence  swinuning  like  a 
sea  before  his  e)es,  and  the  pale  sad  face  of  Jesus,  the 
unoffending,  all-merciful  friend  of  the  world,  rising  before 
him  in  a  vision  on  which  his  very  soul  was  forced  to 
gaze,  his  whole  being  was  overwhelmed  and  swallowed 
up  by  remorse  ;  the  agony  which  Jesus  suffered  in  the  flageukr,  or  scourge, 
garden  was  now  the  agony  of  Judas  ;  how  his  heart 
cried  out  in  despair,  as  the  waves  of  contrition,  regret, 
self-reproach  and  soul-racking  remorse  came  rushing  over  him  in  irresistible  flood. 
He  had  .sold  his  right  to  a  tlirone,  he  had  brought  his  Master  to  the  cross,  he  had 


SUCH    AS     WAS    USED    IN 
PUNISHING  JESUS. 


502  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

drowned  his  soul  in  innocent  blood.  Whatever  may  have  been  his  motives,  the 
result  now  tore  him  with  insufferable  anguish.  But  it  may  not  be  too  late  to  save 
his  Eord  !  The  thought  came  to  him  like  a  ray  of  light  through  the  deepest  cloud. 
He  nursed  the  hope  like  a  fond  mother  hugs  to  her  breast  her  dying  child  when  the 
doctor  says  one  word  of  encouragement.  He  runs  to  the  Temple,  and  making 
his  way  to  the  court  of  the  priests,  where  none  but  consecrated  feet  might  enter, 
he  excitedly,  nervously,  prayerfully,  begs  the  priests  to  do  something  yet  to  save 
his  Master ;  ' '  He  is  innocent ;  it  is  I  alone  that  am  guilty  ;  I  betrayed  him  without 
cause  ;  I  have  falsely  accused  Him  ;  take  back  this  coin  which  is  the  wages  of 
m}^  guilt ;  do  thou  but  deal  justly  ;  save  yourselves  from  a  crime  which  I  have 
abetted ;  for  the  honor  of  yourselves,  and  the  n6ble  offices  which  you  hold,  and 
for  the  sake  of  the  nation,  allow  this  thing  to  go  no  further."  This  might  have 
been  his  agonizing  appeal,  but  it  fell  on  ears  steeled  against  mercy  ;  the  gates  of 
compassion  were  shut ;  God  alone  could  open  them.  The  priests  would  not  take 
back  the  coin  on  which  the  stains  of  innocent  blood  were  as  fadeless  as  on  Mac- 
beth's  blade  ;  the  betrayer  was  now  to  them  a  piece  of  rubbish,  which  were  better 
carted  away  than  to  lie  about  to  offend  their  presence. 

In  the  anguish  of  despair  Judas  threw  the  money  with  violence  upon  the 
marble  floor  and  in  mad  desperation  fled  away  to  a  spot  of  ground,  the  clay-yard 
of  a  potter,  and  there  ended  his  miserable  life  with  a  rope. 

Jesus  Taken  Before  Herod. 

Before  execution  of  the  sentence,  Pilate,  hoping  that  some  means  might  yet 
be  devised  to  save  Jesus,  sent  Him  to  Herod  for  judgment  as  a  Galilean,  for  as 
such  He  was  not  properly  vmder  Pilate's  jurisdiction. 

The  appearance  of  Christ  was  highly  pleasing  to  Antipas,  who  was  flattered 
so  greatly  by  Pilate's  reference  of  the  case  to  him  that  he  dismissed  the  jealousy 
and  enmity  which  he  had  theretofore  felt  for  the  Procurator,  and  a  friendship 
between  the  two  was  by  this  means  re-established.  Antipas  had  heard  so  much 
about  Jesus  that  his  vanity  was  tickled  by  the  appearance  of  the  Messiah  before 
him,  who  he  felt  sure  would  be  glad  to  oblige  the  ro3^al  desire  for  an  exhibition 
of  supernatural  power.  When,  therefore,  Jesus  was  brought  into  his  presence  he 
condescendingly  asked  Him  questions,  prompted  by  an  idle  curiosit}^  and  doubt- 
less requested  that  He  perform  a  miracle  to  satisfy  his  doubts  ;  but  to  none  of  the 
king's  questions  would  Jesus  make  any  reply.  This  so  angered  Antipas  that  he 
turned  from  serioush^  considering  His  Messianic  character  to  ridiculing  His 
pretensions,  and  being  desirous  of  escaping  the  obloquy  and  danger  which  might 
follow  the  execution  of  Jesus  he  thought  to  treat  the  cliarges  against  Him  as 
unworthy  of  the  dignity  of  a  trial.  But  to  humor  the  mob,  which  was  intent  on 
punishing  their  Victim,  Antipas  ordered  a  suit  of  royal  regalia  to  be  brought  out, 


IE  SOLDIERS  MOCKING  JKSUS.  — Drawn  by  Buia, 


(503) 


504  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

and  in  which  Jesus  was  invested,  to  be  made  a  butt  of  by  the  crowd.  This  robe 
was  of  white,  which  the  king  usually  wore,  though  probably  not  on  state 
occasions,  and  served  as  a  badge  of  royalt}-.  In  this  garment  Herod  sent  Jesus 
back  to  Pilate  without  giving  judgment,  for  he  recognized  the  dangers  which 
threatened  final  disposition  of  the  case,  and  therefore  evaded  responsibility  by 
referring  Jesus  back  to  the  governor. 

After  His  return  to  Pilate  Jesus  was  again  scourged  and  given  over  to  the 
custody  of  a  squad  of  Roman  soldiers,  who,  thoroughly  brutalized,  would  now, 
with  the  Procurator's  permission,  visit  upon  Jesus  cruelties  surpassing  any  of  the 
inflictions  to  which  He  had  before  been  subjected.  So,  deriding  Him  as  did  the 
mob  before  Herod,  the  soldiers  placed  a  reed  in  His  hand  as  a  mock  symbol  of 
authority,  and  then  a  crown  of  thorns,  woven  with  the  thorns  pointing  inward, 
was  pressed  down  upon  His  temples  until  they  lacerated  the  flesh  of  His  brow 
and  caused  streams  of  blood  to  flow  down  His  face.  This  cruelty  did  not  yet 
satisfy  their  vindictive  and  pitiless  desires,  for  while  bending  their  knees  in 
insulting  genuflexions  they  rose  and  struck  Him,  and  mocked  Him,  and  spat  on 
Him,  and  then  as  a  crowning  act  of  infamy  they  tore  the  reed  out  of  His  hand 
and  gave  Him  a  violent  blow  on  the  head.  Oh,  the  heart  grows  sick  while 
recounting  the  indignities  and  ruffianly  violence  that  were  put  upon  Him. 
After  amusing  themselves  by  ridiculing  the  Prisoner,  Jesus  was  stripped  of  His 
royal  robes  and  clothed  again  in  His  own  apparel,  and  prepared  for  execution. 

"Shall  I  Release  to  You  Barabbas?" 

Executions  were  usually  carried  out  on  feast  days,  but  it  had  been  the  cus- 
tom for  many  years,  out  of  regard  for  the  feelings  of  the  Jews,  who  held  the 
Pas.sover  as  their  most  sacred  festival,  to  release  one  prisoner  mider  sentence  of 
death  during  Passover  week,  the  culprit  to  be  designated  by  a  majority  of  the 
people  attending  the  feast.  Hoping  to  secure  the  release  of  Jesus,  Pilate  reminded 
the  multitude  of  this  custom,  to  which  he  received  a  vociferous  request  that  it  be 
now  obser\'ed.  This  gave  Pilate  hope,  for  between  Jesus  and  a  man  named  Bar- 
abbas, who  was  under  sentence  of  death  for  killing  a  Roman  soldier  in  an  emeute, 
he  believed  that  the  people  would  certainly  ask  the  release  of  Jesus.  But  revolts 
were  so  common  on  account  of  the  implacable  hatred  between  the  Jews  and  the 
Romans,  that  Barabbas  had  many  sympathizers  among  the  Jews,  who  probably 
regarded  him  as  a  patriot.  The  hierarchal  party  therefore  would  not  suffer  defeat 
now,  and  at  the  instigation  of  Caiaphas  and  the  priests,  the  crowd  shouted,  "  Give 
us  Barabbas  ;  give  us  Barabbas."  Still  hoping  that  the  people  might  change  their 
decisions  at  his  implied  request,  he  again  asked,  "  Whom  will  ye  that  I  release 
unto  you?  Barabbas.  or  Jesus,  which  is  called  Christ?  Will  ye  therefore  that  I 
release  unto  you  the  King  of  the  Jews  ?  "  But  again  the  howling  mob  repeated 
their  desire  for  the  release  of  Barabbas. 


"I  FIND  NO  SIN  IN  THIS  MAN." — Drawn  by  Bida. 


(505^ 


5o6  FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

Then  asked  Pilate,  ' '  What  will  ye  then  that  I  shall  do  with  Jesus  ?  "  and  they 
all  cried  out,  "  Crucify  Him,  Crucify  Him." 

With  all  this  merciless,  fanatical  rabble  before  him,  whom  it  were'  dangerous 
to  trifle  with,  in  his  anxiety  to  even  yet  do  something  that  would  avert  the  awful 
crime  which  was  about  to  be  sealed,  Pilate  said  to  them,  "  Why,  what  evil  hath 
He  done  ?  I  have  found  no  cause  of  death  in  Him  ;  I  will  therefore  chastise  Him 
and  let  Him  go."  But  the  mob's  cries  only  became  the  louder  and  more  inexor- 
able, "  Crucify  Him,  Crucify  Him." 

So,  after  all  his  merciful  hesitation,  Pilate  surrendered  to  the  demoniacal  cry 
of  "  Crucify  Him."  But  Governor  Pilate,  seated  in  the  presence  of  the  people, 
sends  a  slave  to  fetch  him  something.  The  constables  are  impatient  to  lead  out 
the  criminal  to  execution,  and  the  mob  in  the  street  are  waiting  to  glare  on  their 
Victim.  But  a  pause  is  necessitated  for  a  few  moments.  Yonder  comes  a  wash- 
basin. The  clear,  bright  water  is  poured  into  it,  and  Governor  Pontius  Pilate 
puts  back  the  sleeves  of  his  robe  and  thrusts  his  soft,  delicate  hands  into  the  water 
and  rubs  them  together,  and  then  lifts  them  dripping  for  the  towel  fastened  to  the 
slave's  girdle,  and  says,  practically,  "I  wash  my  hands  of  this  whole  homicidal 
transaction.  I  will  take  none  of  the  responsibility  of  this  Prisoner's  death.  You 
must  assume  all  of  it."  "He  took  water  and  washed  his  hands  before  the 
multitude,  saying,  'I  am  innocent  of  the  blood  of  this  just  person;  see  ye 
to  it.'  " 

Behold  how  ceremonies  amount  to  nothing  without  correspondency  of  heart. 
It  is  well  that  the  hands  be  washed.  When  God  made  three-fourths  of  the  world 
water  He  commanded  cleanliness,  and  as  the  ancients  did  not  take  the  hint  He 
put  a  whole  world  under  water.  The  Jewish  religion  made  handwashing  a  law. 
By  minute  direction  the  hands  must  be  plunged  three  times  up  to  the  wrist,  and 
the  palm  of  one  hand  rubbed  by  the  closed  fist  of  the  other.  The  Jewish  Mishna 
gives  elaborate  rule  on  this  subject.  All  well  as  a  symbol.  But  here  Governor 
Pilate  proposes  to  wash  off  guilt  which  he  does  not  quit  and  of  which  he  makes 
small  repentance.     Pilate's  wash-basin  is  a  failure. 

Alas  for  the  agitated  Judean  governor,  that  night,  after  the  court  had 
adjourned  and  the  Sanhedrists  were  gone,  and  only  the  tread  of  the  sentinel  at 
his  door  was  heard,  1  think  he  rose  from  his  tapestried  and  sleepless  couch  and 
went  again  to  the  laver  and  thrust  his  hands  up  to  the  wrist  in  the  water,  and 
cried,  "  Out  !  Out  !  thou  crimson  spot !  How  thou  stickest  fast,  telling  the  story 
to  me  and  the  night  and  God  !  Is  there  no  alkali  that  can  remove  this  dreadful 
stain  ?  Is  there  no  chemistry  to  dissolve  this  carnage  ?  Must  I  live  and  die  with 
the  blood  of  a  martyr  on  my  hands,  and  the  blood  of  heavenlj^  innocence  upon 
my  immortal  soul  ?  " 


CHAPTER   XXXVI. 

THE    ASSASSINATION. 

OHERE  is  a  wild  mob  going  through  the  streets  of  Jerusalem.  As  it 
passes  along  it  is  augmented  by  the  multitudes  that  come  out  of  the 
lanes  and  the  alleys  to  join  the  shouts  and  the  laughter  and  the 
lamentation  of  the  rioters,  who  become  more  and  more  ungovernable 
as  they  get  towards  the  gates  of  the  city.  Fishermen,  vagabonds,  rude  women, 
grave  ofiicials,  merchant  princes,  beggars,  mingle  in  that  crowd.  They  are 
passing  out  now  through  the  gates  of  the  city,  on  their  vvay  to  a  hill  white  with 
bleached  skulls  of  victims — a  hill  that  was  itself  the  shape  of  a  skull,  covered 
with  skulls,  and  called  Golgotha,  which  means  the  place  of  a  skull.  Here  was 
the  place  appointed  for  the  death  of  Jesus  and  two  thieves,  one  named  Gesmas,  to 
suffer  on  His  left,  and  the  other  named  Dismas,  to  be  crucified  on  His  right,  and 
the  three  were  to  die  the  most  horrible,  because  the  most  excruciating  of  all 
deaths — death  on  the  cross. 

Three  crosses  in  a  row.  An  upright  piece  and  two  tranverse  pieces — one  on 
the  top,  on  which  the  hands  were  nailed,  and  one  at  the  middle,  on  which  the 
victim  sat.  Three  trees  just  planted,  yet  bearing  fruit — the  one  at  the  right 
bearing  poison,  and  the  one  at  the  left  bitter  aloes  ;  the  one  in  the  middle,  apples 
of  love.  Norway  pine,  and  tropical  orange,  and  Lebanon  cedar,  would  not  make 
so  strange  a  grove  as  this  orchard  of  Calvary. 

The  cross  was  a  gibbet  on  which  criminals  were  put  to  death.  It  was 
sometimes  made  in  the  shape  of  a  letter  T,  sometimes  in  the  shape  of  the 
letter  X,  .sometimes  in  the  shape  of  the  letter  I — a  simple  upright ;  sometimes 
two  cross-pieces  against  the  perpendicular  bar,  so  that  upon  the  lower  cross-piece 
the  criminal  partially  sat.  But  whatever  the  style  of  cross,  it  was  always  dis- 
graceful and  alwaj'S  agonizing.  When  Darius  conquered  Babylon,  he  put  two 
hundred  captives  to  death  on  the  cross.  "When  Alexander  conquered  Tyre,  he 
put  two  thousand  captives  to  death  on  the  cross.  So  it  was  just  an  ordinary 
mode  of  punishment. 

The  carpenters  have  split  the  timber  into  two  pieces.  They  are  heav\'  and 
they  are  long  pieces,  for  one  of  them  must  be  fastened  deep  down  in  the  earth 
lest  the  struggling  of  the  victim  upset  the  structure.  They  put  this  timber  upon 
the  shoulder  of  Christ  very  gradually,  first  to  see  whether  He  can  stand  it,  and 
after  they  find  He  can  bear  it,  they  put  the  whole  weight  upon  Him.     Forward 

(507) 


5o8  FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

now,  to  Calvary.  The  hooting  and  the  yelling  mob  follow  on.  Under  the  weight 
of  the  cross,  Christ,  being  weary  and  sick,  stumbles  and  falls,  and  they  jerk  at 
His  robe,  indignant  that  He  should  have  stumbled  and  fallen,  and  they  cry : 
"  Get  up,  get  up  !  "  Christ,  putting  one  hand  on  the  ground  and  the  other  hand 
on  the  cross,  rises,  looking  into  the  face  of  Alary,  His  mother,  for  sympathy  ;  but 
they  tell  her  to  stand  back,  it  is  no  place  for  a  woman — "  Stand  back,  and  stop 
this  crying. "  Christ  moves  on  with  His  burden  upon  His  shoulders,  and  there 
is  a  boy  that  ppsses  along  with  Him,  a  boy  holding  a  mallet  and  a  few  nails.  I 
wonder  what  they  are  for  !  Christ  moves  on  until  the  burden  is  so  great  He 
staggers  and  falls  flat  into  the  dust  and  faints  .dead  away,  and  a  rufiian  puts  his 
foot  on  Him  and  shakes  Him  as  he  would  a  dead  dOg,  while  another  ruffian  looks 
down  at  Him  wondering  whether  He  has  fainted  away,  or  whether  He  is  only 
pretending  to  faint  away,  and  with  jeer  and  contempt  indescribable  says : 
"  Fainted,  have  you?  fainted  !     Get  up,  get  on  !  " 

But  it  is  not  so  much  fainting  as  complete  exhaustion  that  causes  our  Lord 
to  sink  to  the  earth,  and  from  which  goad  of  whip  nor  spur  of  heel  can  arouse 
Him  under  His  burden.  All  the  preceding  night  He  had  spent  in  agony  ; 
anguish  of  mind  in  the  garden,  agony  of  body  before  Annas,  physical  torture 
before  Pilate  ;  mortification,  indignity,  merciless  abuse  had  drained  His  energies, 
and  now  the  Best  Friend  in  all  the  world  is  prostrate  at  the  feet  of  iniquity. 
The  thieves  go  on  with  their  crosses,  but  Christ  can  no  longer  bear  His  own. 
Someone  must  help  Him  support  it.  But  who?  Ah,  here  is  the  man,  Simon 
from  Cyrene,  a  foreign  Jew  from  a  part  of  Africa  which  is  now  called  Tunis. 
He  has  shown  sympathy  for  the  poor  sufferer  ;  besides,  the  infamy  of  having  to 
carry  a  cross  will  not  likely  provoke  any  remonstrance  from  the  Judean  Jews. 
Here,  put  the  cross  on  Simon's  strong  shoulders.  Now  let  the  procession  con- 
tinue. What  a  blessing  in  disguise  was  that  sign  of  degradation  to  Simon,  for 
under  the  weight  of  the  cross  he  and  all  his  family  became  converted  ;  bearing 
the  cross  he  won  a  crown. 

The  pale  face,  the  bleeding  back,  the  suffering  body,  plead  to  the  eyes  of 
tender  women  who  follow,  and  they  weep,  weep  for  their  Best  Friend,  weep  for 
the  sorrow  which  they  could  not  minister  to.  "  O  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  weep 
not  for  me,  but  for  yourselves,"  said  Jesus  to  His  grieving  sympathizers,  "weep 
for  your  children  too,  for  the  woes  that  shall  come  upon  Jerusalem  and  those 
who  thus  persecute  and  kill  Me  will  be  infinitely  greater  than  the  pains  which  I 
now  bear." 

After  a  while  the  place  of  execution  is  reached  and  the  condemned  are 
divested  of  their  clothes  and  prepared  for  death  by  wrapping  a  single  cloth  about 
their  loins.  Of  the  clothes  which  Christ  wore,  the  undergarment  was  in  one 
piece,  woven  without  seam  from  top  to  bottom,  and  was  a  robe  like  all  the  priests 


FROM  MANGER  TO  THRONE. 


509 


wore  ;  but  the  top  garments  were  perhaps  two  in  number,  and  these  were  torn 
into  four  pieces  in  order  to  allow  a  part  to  be  given  to  each  of  the  Roman  guards. 
They  were  of  no  particular  value  except  as  relics,  but  the  priesth-  robe  was 
desirable,  and  its  possession  was  therefore  made  the  ol)ject  of  contention,  which 
was  settled  only  by 
casting  lots  to  deter- 
mine which  of  the 
four  Roman  soldiers 
should  have  it. 

Jesus  being  now 
stripped,  the  cruel 
rabbis  insist  on 
another  punishment 
being  given  Him  be- 
fore the  supreme  one 
is  inflicted  ;  so  at  their 
instigation  He  is 
again  scourged,  and 
so  cut  by  the  fearful 
whip  that  His  back 
is  drained  of  its  blood , 
and  deep  gashes  lie 
open,  red  and  swollen. 

It  is  now  tweU  e 
o'clock,  the  hour  (  f 
His  lifting  up  is  at 
hand.  Then  the}'  put 
the  cross  upon  the 
ground,  and  thej^ 
stretch  Christ  upon 
it,  and  four  or  five 
men  hold  Him  down 
while  the}^  drive  the 
spikes  home,  at  every 
thump  a  groan,  a 
groan  !  And  while 
the  nails  are  driven  through  the  flesh  and  bones  and  tendons,  and  the  little 
blood  left  in  temple  and  hands  and  feet  is  trickling  down  over  the  cross, 
in  His  agony  Jesus  lifts  His  voice  in  compassionate  cry  and  prayer  for  His 
enemies.  "  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do." 


i\  Tin-:  KdAii 


C  \I.\'AKV. 


5IO  FROM    MANGKR   TO  THRONE. 

Christ  has  only  one  garment  left  now,  a  cap,  a  cap  of  thorns.  No  danger 
that  it  will  fall  off,  for  the  sharp  edges  have  punctured  the  temples,  and  it  is  sure 
and  fast.  One  ruffian  takes  hold  of  one  end  of  the  short  beam  of  the  cross,  and 
another  ruffian  takes  hold  of  the  other  end  of  the  short  beam  of  the  cross,  and 
another  ruffian  puts  his  arms  around  the  waist  of  Christ,  and  another  ruffian  takes 
hold  of  the  end  of  the  long  beam  of  the  cross,  and  altogether  they  move  on  until 
they  come  to  the  hole  digged  in  the  earth,  and  with  awful  plunge  it  jars  down 
with  its  burden  of  woe.  It  is  not  the  picture  of  a  Christ,  it  is  not  the  statue  of 
Christ,  as  you  sometimes  see  in  a  Roman  Catholic  Cathedral ;  but  it  is  the  body 
of  a  bleeding,  living,  dying  Christ. 

Darkness  About  the  Cross. 

There  were  three  or  four  absences  that  made  that  scene  worse.  First,  there 
was  the  absence  of  water.  The  climate  was  hot,  the  fever,  the  inflammation, 
the  nervous  prostration,  the  gangrene  had  seized  upon  Him,  and  He  terribly 
wanted  water.  His  wounds  were  worse  than  gunshot  fractures,  and  yet  no  water. 
A  Turk,  in  the  thirteenth  century,  was  crucified  on  the  banks  of  a  river  so  that 
the  sight  of  the  water  might  tantalize  him.  And  oh,  how  the  thirst  of  Christ  must 
have  tantalized  as  He  thought  of  the  Euphrates  and  the  Jordan  and  the  Nile,  and 
all  the  fountains  of  earth  and  heaven  poured  out  of  His  own  hand.  They  offered 
Him  an  intoxicating  draught  made  out  of  wine  and  myrrh,  but  He  declined  it. 
He  wanted  to  die  sober.     No  water. 

While  the  mob  are  howling  and  mocking  and  hurling  scorn  at  the  chief  object 
of  their  hate,  the  darkness  hovers  and  scowls  and  swoops  upon  the  scene,  and  the 
rocks  rend  with  terrific  clang,  and  the  choking  wind,  and  moaning  cavern,  and 
dropping  sky,  and  shuddering  earthquake  declare  in  a  whisper,  in  groan,  in  shriek, 
"  This  is  the  Son  of  God." 

The  world  has  seen  many  dark  days.  About  fifteen  summers  ago  there  was 
a  very  dark  day  when  the  sun  was  eclipsed.  The  fowls  at  noonday  went  to  their 
perch,  and  we  felt  a  gloom  as  we  looked  at  the  astronomical  wonder.  It  was  a 
dark  day  in  lyondon  when  the  plague  was  at  its  height,  and  the  dead  with 
uncovered  faces  were  taken  in  open  carts  and  dumped  into  the  trenches.  It  was 
a  dark  day  when  the  earth  opened  and  Lisbon  sank.  But  the  darkest  day  since 
the  creation  of  the  world  was  the  day  when  the  carnage  of  Calvary  was  enacted. 
It  was  about  noon  when  the  curtain  began  to  be  drawn.  It  was  not  the  coming 
on  of  a  night  that  soothes  and  refreshes ;  it  was  the  swinging  of  a  great  gloom  all 
around  the  heavens.  God  hung  it.  As  when  there  is  a  dead  one  in  the  house 
you  bow  the  shutters  or  turn  the  lattice,  so  God  in  the  afternoon  shut  the 
windows  of  the  world.  As  it  is  appropriate  to  throw  a  black  pall  upon  the 
coffin  as  it  passes  along,  so  it  was  appropriate  that  everything  should  be  sombre 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


5ii 


that  day  as  the  great  hearse  of  the  earth  rolled  on,  bearing  the  corpse  of  the 

King. 

Spectators  of  the  Tragedy. 

The  crowd  that  stood  about  the  cross  was  a  mixture  of  friends  and  enemies, 
of  sorrowing  companions  and  malignant  hate.  There  was  a  brutal  soldiery 
gambling  for  the 
Lord's  garment, 
while  Joseph  of  Ari- 
mathea  would  have 
given  much  of  his 
wealth  to  have  pos- 
sessed it  as  a  sacred 
relic.  Mary,  the  ; 
mother  of  Jesus, 
would  like  to  have 
had  it.  How  fondly 
she  would  have  hov- 
ered over  it,  and 
when  she  must  leave 
it  with  what  tender- 
ness she  would  have 
bequeathed  it  to  her 
best  friend  !  It  was 
the  only  covering 
Christ  in  darkness 
and  storm.  That  was 
the  very  coat  that  the 
woman  touched  when 
from  it  there  went 
out  virtue  for  her 
healing.  That  was 
the  only  wedding 
garment  He  had  in 
the  marriage  at  Cana, 
and  the  storms  that 
swept  Galilee  had 
drenched  it  again  and 
again.  And  what  did  they  do  with  it  ?  They  raffled  for  it.  We  have  heard  of 
men  who  gambled  away  their  own  garments,  who  gambled  away  their  children's 
shoes,  who  gambled  away  the  family  Bible,  who  gambled  away  their  wife's  last 


THE   CRUCIFIXION. 


512  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

dress  ;  but  it  adds  to  the  ghastliness  of  a  Saviour's  humiliation  and  the  horror 
of  the  crime  when  I  hear  Jesus  in  His  last  moments  declaring,  "They  parted 
My  garments  among  them,  and  for  My  vesture  did  they  cast  lots." 

In  the  group  were  also  rulers,  scribes  and  chief  priests  who  had  been  at  once 
complainants,  prosecuting  witnesses,  jury,  judge  and  executioners  ;  who  while 
He  hung  on  the  cross  vented  their  murderous  rage  by  mocking  Him  with  all 
manner  of  insulting  and  ribald  cries.  And  the  soldiers  likewise  railed  on  Him, 
and  offered  Him  vinegar  as  an  insult,  saying,  "  If  Thou  be  the  King  of  the  Jews, 
save  Thyself."  And  to  the  vulgar  taunts  of  the  mob  was  now  added  bitter 
revilings  of  one  of  the  thieves,  who  twisted  his  head  around  far  enough  to  set  a 
contemptuous  gaze  on  Christ  and  to  hiss  at  Him  through  his  teeth,  "  If  Thou  be 
the  Christ,  save  Thyself  and  us."  But  the  other  thief,  not  wholly  conscienceless, 
whose  crimes  had  not  stifled  his  sense  of  mercy  and  justice,  which  if  he  had  not 
followed  he  could  yet  appreciate,  shamed  his  confederate,  and  rebuked  him  for 
joining  in  the  insults  to  one  who,  unlike  themselves,  had  committed  no  offence, 
and  who  was  indeed  the  true  type  of  innocence.  And  having  believed  on  Christ, 
the  penitent  thief  said  to  Jesus,  ' '  lyord,  remember  me  when  Thou  comest  into 
Thy  kingdom."  Nor  was  this  conversion  at  the  last  hour  of  life  without  reward, 
for  his  cry  was  answered,  "  Verily  I  say  unto  thee,  to-day  shalt  thou  be  with  Me 
in  Paradise." 

But  there  were  rays  of  light  that  streamed  into  the  crucifixion.  As  Christ 
was  on  the  cross  and  looked  down  on  the  crowd  of  people  He  saw  some  very 
warm  friends  there.     The  first  in  all  that  crowd  was 

His   Mother. 

You  need  not  point  her  out  to  me.  I  can  see  by  the  sorrow,  the  anguish, 
the  woe,  by  the  upthrown  hands!  Tha*^  all  means  mother!  "Oh,"  you  say, 
"why  didn't  she  go  down  to  the  foot  of  the  hill  and  sit  with  her  back  to  the 
scene?  It  was  too  horrible  for  her  to  look  upon."  Do  you  not  know  when  a 
child  is  in  anguish  or  trouble  it  always  makes  a  heroine  of  a  mother  ?  Take  her 
away,  you  say,  from  the  cross.  You  cannot  drag  her  away  !  She  will  keep  on 
looking  ;  as  long  as  her  Son  breathes,  she  will  stand  there  looking.  What  a 
scene  it  is  for  a  tender-hearted  mother  to  look  upon  !  How  happily  she  would 
have  sprung  to  His  relief !  It  was  her  son.  Her  son  !  How  gladly  she  would 
have  clambered  up  on  the  cross  and  hung  there  herself  if  her  Son  could  have 
been  relieved  !  How  strengthening  she  wc"M  have  been  to  Christ  if  she  might 
have  come  close  by  Him  and  soothed  Him  ! 

If  the  mother  of  Jesus  could  have  only  taken  those  bleeding  feet  into  her  lap  ! 
If  she  might  have  taken  the  dying  head  on  her  bosom  !  If  she  might  have  said 
to  Him,    ' '  It  will  soon  be  over,  Jesus,  it  will  soon  be  over,  and  we  will  meet  again. 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


513 


and  it  will  be  all  well. ' '  But  no  ;  she  dared  not  come  up  so  close.  They  would 
have  struck  her  back  with  their  hammers.  They  would  have  kicked  her  down  the 
hill.  There  can  be  no  alleviation  at  all.  Jesus  must  sufifer  and  Mary  must  look. 
I  suppose  she  thought  of  the  birth-hour  in  Bethlehem.  I  suppose  she 
thought  of  that  time  when,  with  her  Boy  in  her  bo.som,  she  hastened  on  in  the 
darkness  in  the  flight  toward  Egypt.  I  suppose  she  thought  of  His  boyhood 
when  He  was  the  joy  of  her  heart.     I  suppose  she  thought  of  the  thousand 


THE  SUPPOSED  TOMB   OF  THE  SAVIOUR,    AS   IDENTIFIED   BY  GENERAI.   GORDON. — From 

The  Christian  Herald. 

kindnesses  He  had  done  her,  not  forsaking  her  or  forgetting  her  even  in  His  last 
moments;  but  turning  to  John,  and  saying,  "There  is  mother,  take  her  with 
you.  She  is  old  now.  She  cannot  help  herself.  Do  for  her  just  as  I  would  have 
done  for  her  if  I  had  lived.  Be  very  tender  and  gentle  with  her.  Behold  thy 
mother!"  She  thought  it  all  over,  and  there  is  no  memory  like  a  mother's 
memory,  and  there  is  no  woe  like  a  mother's  woe. 

And  among  His  sorrowing  friends,  whose  grief  was  but  little  less  than  was 
that  of  His  mother,  were  Mary,  wife  of  Cleophas,  one  of  the  first  mothers  of  the 


514  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

church,  and  Mary  Magdalene,  the  penitent  who  had  anointed  Him,  or  that  other 
Mary  from  whom  He  had  cast  out  seven  devils,  and  Lazarus  whom  He  had 
raised  from  the  dead,  and  Mary  and  Martha  the  two  sisters,  and  John  His 
beloved  disciple,  and  Nicodemus,  and  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  and  Simon  of 
Cyrene,  and  Mary  Salome  and  Susanna  Veronica,  and  perhaps  many  other  dear ' 
friends,  all  of  whom  loved  Him  unto  death.  Oh,  the  wail  of  woe  that  went 
through  that  crowd  when  they  saw  Jesus  die  !  You  know  the  Bible  says  if  all 
the  things  Jesus  did  were  recorded,  the  world  would  not  contain  the  books  that 
would  be  written.  It  implies  that  what  we  have  in  the  Bible  are  merely 
specimens  of  the  Saviour's  mercy.  Where  we  are  told  of  one  blind  man  who  got 
his  eyesight,  I  suppose  He  cured  twenty  that  We  are  not  told  of.  Where  He 
cured  the  one  leper,  whose  story  is  recorded,  He  might  have  cured  twenty  lepers. 
Where  He  did  one  act  of  kindness  mentioned,  He  must  have  done  a  thousand  we 
do  not  know  about. 

I  see  those  who  received  kindnesses  from  Him  standing  beneath  the  cross, 
and  one  says,  "  Why,  that  is  the  Jesus  who  bound  up  my  broken  heart !  "  And 
another,  standing  near  the  cross,  says,  ' '  That  is  the  Jesus  who  restored  my 
daughter  to  life."  Another  looks  up  and  says,  "Why,  that  is  the  Jesus  who 
gave  me  my  eyesight."  And  another  looks  up  and  says,  "That  is  the  Jesus 
who  lifted  me  up  when  I  was  sick  ;  oh,  I  can't  bear  to  see  him  die  !  "  Every 
stroke  of  the  hammer  drove  a  spike  through  their  hearts.  Every  groan  of 
Christ  opens  a  new  fountain  of  sorrow. 

The  Death. 

The  hours  pass  on,  and  it  is  twelve  o'clock  of  the  Saviour's  suffering,  and  it 
is  one  o'clock,  and  it  is  two  o'clock,  and  it  is  almost  three  o'clock.  Take  the 
last  look  at  that  suffering  face ;  wan  and  pinched,  the  purple  lips  drawn  back 
against  the  teeth ;  the  eyes  red  with  weeping  and  sunken  as  though  grief  had 
pushed  them  back ;  blackness  under  the  lower  lid ;  the  whole  body  adroop  and 
shivering  with  the  last  chill ;  the  breath  growing  feebler  and  feebler  and  feebler 
and  feebler  until  He  gives  one  long,  deep  last  sigh.  He  is  dead  !  Oh,  my  soul. 
He  is  dead !  Can  you  tell  me  why  ?  Was  He  a  fanatic  dying  for  a  principle 
that  did  not  amount  to  anything  ?  Was  He  a  man  infatuated  ?  No  ;  to  save 
your  soul  and  mine  from  sin,  and  make  eternal  life  possible  He  died.  There  had 
to  be  a  substitute  for  sin.  Who  shall  it  be?  "  Let  it  be  Me,"  said  Christ ;  "let 
it  be  Me." 

The  brigands  of  Jerusalem  had  done  their  work.  Dizzy,  swooning, 
feverish — a  world  of  distress  is  compressed  in  two  words  :  "  I  thirst !  "  O  skies 
of  Judea,  let  a  drop  of  rain  strike  on  His  burning  tongue  !  O  world,  with  rolling 
rivers,  and  sparkling  lakes,  and  spraying  fountains,   give  Jesus  something  to 


jKSUS    LAID    IN     iHr.    iu.mH    OK  JOSEPH    OP    ARIMATHKA. 


(515) 


5i6  FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

drink !  If  there  be  any  pity  in  earth,  or  heaven,  or  hell,  let  it  now  be  demon- 
strated in  behalf  of  this  Royal  Sufferer.  The  wealthy  women  of  Jerusalem  used 
to  have  a  fund  of  money  with  which  the}-  provided  wine  for  those  people  who 
died  in  crucifixion — a  powerful  opiate  to  deaden  the  pain  ;  but  Christ  would  not 
take  it.  He  wanted  to  die  sober,  and  so  He  refused  the  wine.  But  afterward  the 
soldiers  go  to  a  cup  of  vinegar,  and  soak  a  sponge  in  it,  and  put  it  on  a  stick  of 
hyssop,  and  then  press  it  against  the  hot  lips  of  Christ.  You  say  the  wine  was 
an  anaesthetic,  and  intended  to  relieve  or  deaden  the  pain.  But  the  vinegar  was 
an  insult.  I  am  disposed  to  adopt  the  theory  of  the  old  English  commentators, 
who  believed  that  instead  of  its  being  an  opiate  to  soothe,  it  was  vinegar  to 
insult.  Malaga  and  Burgundy  for  grand  dukes  and  duchesses,  and  costly  wines  for 
bloated  imperials  ;  but  stinging  acids  for  a  dying  Christ.     He  took  the  vinegar. 

When  the  last  hour  of  His  suffering  was  at  hand,  nearly  three  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  just  before  death  had  come  to  bind  up  His  pain  with  the  balm  of 
easement.  He  raised  His  voice  and  cried,  "  My  God,  My  God,  Why  hast  Thou 
forsaken  Me."  And  again  He  murmured,  "It  is  finished,"  and  then  arousing 
all  the  small  spirit  that  was  yet  in  Him  He  feebly  cried,  "  Father,  into  Thy  hands 
I  commend  My  spirit."     And  thus  He  died. 

The  Earthquake. 

At  the  moment  that  Jesus  expired  all  the  world  seemed  plunged  into  convul- 
sion of  grief;  the  earth  trembled  and  quaked  until  rocks  were  burst  asunder,  and 
gaping  rents  and  violent  upheaval  unloosed  the  dead  and  shook  life  again  into 
many  corpses,  and  the  great  Temple  toppled  until  the  rich  veil  which  separated 
the  Holy  Place  from  the  Holy  of  Holies  was  torn  in  twain.  So  appalling  was  the 
phenomenon  that  even  the  centurion  having  command  of  the  guards  who  were 
set  to  watch,  exclaimed,  "  Certainly  this  was  a  righteous  Man.  This  was  truly 
the  Son  of  God,"  and  great  fear  fell  on  all.  But  the  friends  of  Jesus  still  lingered 
about,  awaiting  some  chance  to  take  the  precious  body,  or  watching  what  the 
lyord's  enemies  would  do. 

Toward  evening  as  the  faithful  watchers  were  still  keeping  their  vigils  they 
saw  a  body  of  soldiers  approaching  armed  with  clubs  to  break  the  bones  of  the 
crucified  three,  as  was  customary,  a  merciless  way  for  hastening  death  while 
increasing  suffering.  When  the  soldiers  reached  the  bodies  they  found  the  two 
thieves  still  alive  and  in  conscious  agony,  the  legs  of  these  they  broke,  but  when 
coming  to  Jesus  they  found  Him  dead  and  hence  did  not  break -His  bones,  but  to 
assure  themselves  they  plunged  a  spear  into  His  side  and  from  the  wound  flowed 
blood  and  water 

The  day  following  the  crucifixion  was  the  Holy  Sabbath,  when  it  was  unlaw- 
ful to  allow  a  body  to  remain  upon  the  cross,  so  that  the  Jews  had  asked  permission 


KNTu.MH.MKNi     Ot-    i^liKlST- 


(517) 


THE  SHEIK  NOW  IN  CHARGE  OF  MT.   CALVARY.  -  From  The  Christian  Herald. 
(518) 


FROM    MANGRR    TO   THRONE. 


519 


of  Pilate  to  send  a  squad  of  soldiers  to  finish  the  execution,  but  almost  at  the 
same  time,  or  directly  after,  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  a  rich  Jew,  who  had  long  been 
a  secret  follower  of  Christ,  but  who  made  no  open  profession  of  his  belief  through 
fear  of  his  people,  went  to  Pilate  and  begged  the  privilege  of  taking  down  the 
body  of  His  Lord  and  giving  it  burial  in  his  own  sepulchre. 

After  Pilate  had  assurance  that  Christ  was  indeed  dead  he  commanded  the 
centurion  to  take  down  and  deliver  the  body  to  Joseph.  Nicodemus  now  also 
reveal|d  his  love  for  Jesus  by  bringing  rich  spices,  and  a  hundred  pounds  of 
myrrh  and  aloes  with  which  to  anoint  the  body,  and  fine  linens  in  which  to  wind 
it  after  the  manner  of  Jewish  burials.  And  the  two  took  the  body,  and  accom- 
panied by  other  friends  they  reverently  laid  it  away  in  a  new  tomb — hewn  in  the 
rock — which  might  have  been  prepared  beforehand  for  Joseph's  own  body.  The 
place,  we  are  told,  was  in  the  garden,  near  the  place  of  crucifixion,  but  the  spot, 
while  marked  by  tradition,  it  is  impossible  for  us  now  to  positively  fix  upon. 
Here  the  body  was  carefully  deposited  and  a  great  stone  was  rolled  against 
the  door,  to  protect  the  tomb  from  riflement  by  Jews,  who  now  seemed  to 
have  some  fear  that  Jesus  would  rise  on  the  third  day,  as  He  had  prophesied. 

The  sacrifice  is  completed,  the  suffering  is  over.  The  Holy  One  lies 
sleeping  the  last  sleep,  the  ransom  is  paid,  the  redemption  of  the  world  is 
accomplished. 


CHAPTER   XXXVII. 

THE    REvSURRECTION. 

GHE  Jews  obtained  leave  to  seal  the  sepulchre  and  to  set  a  guard  about 
it,  but  let  us  nevertheless  visit  this  tomb  where  lay  buried  a  King, 
a  Conqueror,  an  Emancipator,  a  Friend,  a  Brother,  a  Christ,  to 
see  how  the  body  was  prepared  and  deposited.  Monarch  of  the 
universe,  but  bone  of  our  bone,  and  flesh  of  our  flesh,  and  sorrow  of  our  sorrow, 
and  heart  of  our  heart.      "  Come  see  the  place  where  the  Lord  lay." 

It  has  for  surroundings  a  manor  in  the  suburbs  of  Jerusalem — a  manor 
owned  by  a  wealthy  gentleman  by  the  name  of  Joseph.  He  was  one  of  the  court 
of  seventy  who  had  condemned  Christ,  but  I  think  he  abstained  from  voting,  or, 
being  a  timid  man,  was  absent  at  the  time  of  the  casting  of  the  votes.  He  had 
laid  out  the  parterre  at  great  expense.  It  was  a  hot  climate,  and  I  suppose  there 
were  broad-branched  trees  and  winding  paths  underneath  them,  while  here  the 
waters  rippled  over  the  rock  into  a  fishpool,  and  yonder  the  vines  and  the  flowers 
clambered  over  the  wall,  and  all  around  there  were  the  beauties  of  kiosk  and 
arboriculture.  After  the  fatigues  of  the  Jerusalem  court  room,  how  refreshing  to 
come  out  in  these  suburbs  botanical  and  pomological. 

I  walk  a  little  farther  on  in  the  parterre  and  I  come  across  a  cluster  of  rocks, 
and  I  see  on  them  the  marks  of  a  sculptor's  chisel.  I  come  still  closer  and  I  find 
that  there  is  a  subterranean  recess,  and  I  walk  down  the  marble  stairs,  and  come 
to  a  portico,  over  the  doorway  an  architecture  of  fruits  and  flowers  chiseled  by 
the  hand  of  the  sculptor.  I  go  into  the  portico,  and  on  either  side  there  are  rooms, 
two,  or  four,  or  six  rooms  of  rock ;  in  the  walls,  niches,  each  niche  large  enough  to 
hold  a  dead  body.  One  of  these  rooms  of  rock  is  especially  wealthy  with  sculp- 
ture. It  is  a  beautiful  and  a  charming  spot.  Why  all  this  ?  The  fact  was  that 
Joseph,  the  owner  of  that  parterre,  of  that  wealthy  manor,  had  recognized  the 
fact  that  ho  could  not  always  walk  these  gardens,  and  he  sought  this  as  his  own 
last  resting-place.     What  a  beautiful  spot  in  which  to  wait  for  the  resurrection. 

Mark  well  the  mausoleum  in  the  rock.  It  is  to  be  the  most  celebrated 
tomb  in  all  the  ages  ;  Catacombs  of  Egypt,  tomb  of  Napoleon,  Mahal  Taj  of 
India,  nothing  compared  with  it.  Christ  had  just  been  murdered,  a;id  His  body 
must  be  thrown  out  to  the  dogs  and  the  ravens,  as  was  customary  with  crucified 
bodies,  unless  there  be  prompt  and  effective  hinderance.  Joseph,  the  owner  of 
the  mausoleum,  begs  for  the  body  of  Christ,  and  he  takes  and  washes  the  poor 
and  mutilated  frame  from  the  blood  and  the  dust,  and  shrouds  it  and  perfumes 

(520) 


FROM    MANGER    TO   THRONE.  521 

it.  I  think  embalmment  was  omitted.  When  in  olden  times  they  wished  to 
embalm  a  dead  body,  the  priest  with  some  pretension  of  medical  skill  would  show 
the  point  between  the  ribs  where  the  incision  was  to  be  made.  Then«the  operator 
would  come  and  make  the  incision,  and  then  run  for  his  life  else  he  would  be  slain 
for  violating  the  dead  body.  Then  the  other  priests  would  come  with  salt  of  nitre 
and  cassia,  and  wine  of  palm  tree,  and  complete  the  embalmment.  But  I  think 
in  this  case  embalmment  was  omitted,  lest  there  be  more  excitement  and  another 
riot. 

The  Entombment  of  Jesus. 

The  funeral  advances.  Present  :  Jo.seph,  the  owner  of  the  mausoleum  ; 
Nicodemus,  who  brought  the  flowers  ;  and  the  two  Marys.  Heavy  burden  on 
the  shoulders  of  two  men  as  they  carry  the  body  of  Christ  down  the  marble  stairs 
and  into  the  portico,  and  lift  the  dead  weight  to  the  level  of  the  niche  in  the  rock, 
and  push  the  body  of  Christ  into  the  only  pleasant  resting-place  it  ever  had. 
These  men,  coming  forth,  close  the  door  of  rock  against  the  recess.  The  govern- 
ment, afraid  that  the  disciples  will  steal  the  body  of  Christ  and  play  resurrection, 
put  upon  the  door  the  seal  of  the  Sanhedrim  ;  the  violation  of  that  seal,  like  the 
violation  of  the  seal  of  the  United  States  Government,  or  of  the  British  Govern- 
ment, was  always  followed  with  severe  penalties. 

A  regiment  of  soldiers  from  the  Tower  of  Antonia  is  detailed  to  guard  that 
mausoleum.  At  the  door  of  that  tomb,  a  fight  took  place  w'hich  decided  the 
question  for  all  graveyards  and  cemeteries.  Sword  of  lightning  against  sword  of 
steel.  Angel  of  God  against  the  military.  The  body  in  the  cr>'pt  begins  to  move 
in  its  shroud  of  fine  linen  and  slides  down  upon  the  pavement,  moves  through  the 
portico,  appears  in  the  doorwaj^  comes  up  the  marble  steps.  Christ,  having  left 
his  mortuary  attire  behind  Him,  comes  forth  in  the  garb  of  a  workman. 

There  and  then  was  shattered  the  tomb,  so  that  it  can  never  be  rebuilt.     All 

the  trowels  of  earthly  masonry  cannot  mend  it.     Forever  and  forever  it  is  a  broken 

tomb.     Death  that  day,  taking  the  side  of  the  militar>%  received  a  horrible  cut 

under  the  angel's  spear  of  flame,  and  must  himself  go  down  at  the  last — the  King 

of  Terrors  disappearing  before  the  King  of  Grace.      "  The  Lord  is  risen."     Hos- 

anna  !    Hosanna  ! 

Christ   Appears  to  Mary. 

But  while  we  have  been  looking  at  the  tomb,  lo,  the  morning  breaks,  the 
gray  of  approaching  day  begins  to  creep  up  the  horizon,  followed  by  a  train  of 
empurpled  light.  The  guards  have  beaten  a  precipitate  retreat  before  the  flaming 
presence  of  an  angel  that  has  broken  the  seal  and  rolled  away  the  rock  that  served 
as  a  door  to  the  sepulchre.  And,  now,  through  the  shadows  of  the  early  morning, 
we  see  several  figures  gliding  softly,  stealthily,  towards  the  tomb,  and  as  they 
come  nearer,  we  di.scover  them  to  be  female  friends  of  the  dead  Lord,  women  who 


522  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

had  spent  the  night  preparing  spices  with  which  to  anoint  and  perfume  the  body. 
Among  them  we  are  able  to  identify  Mary  Magdalene,  out  of  whom  Jesus  had  cast 
seven  devils,  and  Mary,  the  mother  of  James,  and  Salome,  and  Joanna. 

We  see  them  come  to  the  tomb,  and  mark  their  astonishment  at  beholding 
the  stone  displaced,  and  witness  their  grief  following  the  belief  that  the  bodj^  of 
their  Lord  has  been  stolen  by  the  Jews. 

Mary  Magdalene,  having  preceded  the  others,  and  being  first  to  discover  that 
the  tomb  was  open,  ran  in  haste  back  to  the  city  to  notify  Peter  and  John,  but  her 
companions,  being  curious  to  know  what  had  been  done,  passed  into  the  sepulchre. 
They  were  rewarded  for  their  hopeful  inquisitiveness  by  the  sight  of  two  angels  in 
robes  of  brightness,  standing  by  them.  The  mysterious  presences  greatly  alarmed 
them,  and  they  bowed  down  in  their  fear  ;  but  one  of  the  angels  quieted  their 
alarm  by  saying,  ' '  Fear  not  ye  ;  for  I  know  that  ye  seek  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  which 
was  crucified.  Wh}^  seek  ye  the  living  among  the  dead  ?  He  is  not  here  ;  but  is 
risen.  Come,  see  the  place  where  the  Lord  lay,  and  go  quickly  and  tell  His 
disciples. ' ' 

The  women  hurried  away,  with  feelings  strongly  mingled  with  fear  and 
gladness.  But  Mary  had  so  long  preceded  them  that  she  first  found  Peter  and 
John,  and  in  tears  told  them  that  the  Jews  had  stolen  the  body,  and  that  she  knew 
not  where  they  had  secreted  it.  All  was  excitement  in  that  house,  for  Peter  and 
John,  and  Mary,  the  Lord's  mother,  were  now  living  together,  and  they  were  all 
alike  moved  with  anxiety.  In  another  moment  the  two  disciples  were  running 
towards  the  tomb.  John,  being  the  younger,  outstripped  Peter,  but  when  he 
came  to  the  sepulchre  he  was  afraid  to  enter  at  once,  so  that  the  impetuous .  and 
fearless  Peter  rushed  immediately  in,  and  was  directly  afterwards  followed  by  John. 
They  found  the  tomb  empty,  as  Mary  had  told  them,  but  there  still  lay  before 
them  all  the  grave  clothes  in  which  the  body  of  Jesus  had  been  bound ;  the  cloth 
that  was  wrapped  about  the  face  being  rolled  up  and  deposited  in  one  place,  and 
the  linen  used  in  covering  the  body  and  limbs  laid  in  another  place.  Now  were 
the  spirits  of  the  disciples  indeed  depressed,  for  they  had  no  doubt  that  the  Jews 
had  stolen  the  body  and  hidden  it  in  a  place  where  the  friends  were  least  likely  tO' 
discover  it.  But  while  the  two  were  sorrowfully  discussing  the  events  which  had 
seemed  to  terminate  so  disastrously,  Mary  Magdalene  returned,  her  intense  grief 
making  it  impossible  for  her  to  remain  away  from  the  spot  where  the  remains  of 
her  Lord  had  last  been  deposited.  She  stopped  at  the  open  door  of  the  sepulchre 
and  fell  to  weeping,  but  still  hoping  that  there  might  be  a  mistake,  or  that  she 
might  yet  discover  something  that  would  help  her  to  find  the  body,  she  at  length 
looked  into  the  tomb  and  beheld  to  her  joy  two  angel's  in  robes  of  dazzling 
brightness,  one  sitting  where  the  feet  and  the  other  where  the  head  of  Jesus  had 
lain.     One  of  the  angels  addressed  her,  saying,  "Woman,  why  weepest  thou?" 


'"1         .  • 

■"['■[0 

^ 

V 

'  .-tJsBf* 

"jet'  ' 

(Tk'S    ToMli 


(523) 


524  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

to  which  she  tearfully  answered,  "  Because  they  have  taken  away  my  Eord,  and 
I  know  not  where  they  have  laid  Him." 

Christ  Reveals  Himself  to  Mary. 

What  effect  the  angel's  speech  had  on  Mary  we  know  not,  but  she  turned 
sorrowfull}^  around  and  met  a  person  in  gardener's  apparel  as  if  he  had  come  forth 
at  that  early  hour  to  water  the  flowers  or  uproot  the  weeds  from  the  garden,  or 
set  to  reclimbing  the  fallen  vine — some  one  in  working  apparel,  his  garments 
perhaps  having  the  sign  of  the  dust  and  the  dirt  of  the  occupation. 

Mar}^  Magdalene,  on  her  face  the  rain  of  a  fresh  shower  of  weeping,  turns  to 
this  workman,  and  charges  him  with  the  desecration  of  the  tomb,  when,  lo  !  the 
stranger  responds,  flinging  His  whole  soul  into  one  word  which  trembles  with  all 
the  sweetest  rhythm  of  earth  and  heaven,  saying,  "  Mary  !  "  In  that  peculiarity 
of  accentuation  all  the  incognito  fell  off",  and  she  found  that  instead  of  talking  with 
an  humble  gardener  of  Asia  Minor  she  was  talking  with  Him  who  owns  all  the 
hanging  gardens  of  heaven,  constellations  the  clusters  of  forget-me-nots,  the 
sunflower  the  chief  of  all,  the  morning  sky  and  midnight  aurora,  flaring  terraces 
of  beauty,  blazing  like  a  summer  wall  with  coronation  roses  and  giants  of  battle. 
Blessed  and  glorious  mistake  of  Mary  Magdalene  ! 

Mary  would  have  embraced  His  feet  in  her  joyful  discovery,  but  Jesus 
lovingly  repelled  her,  saying,  ' '  Touch  Me  not,  I  am  not  yet  ascended  to  'My 
Father. ' '  Marj^  must  have  sped  on  nimble  feet  to  apprise  the  other  women  and 
the  disciples,  who  perhaps  were  near  by,  but  as  they  turned  back  Jesus  met  them 
with  the  gracious  salutation,  "All  hail."  In  worshipful  reverence  they  fell  at 
His  feet  and  did  Him  the  greatest  reverence,  to  which  loving  demonstration  He 
said,  '  Be  not  afraid  ;  go  tell  My  brethren  that  they  go  into  Galilee,  and  there 
shall  they  see  Me. ' ' 

The  women  went  back  with  all  haste  to  the  city  to  tell  such  of  the  disciples 
as  they  could  find,  the  glorious  news  that  Christ  was  indeed  risen,  but  it  appears 
that  however  earnestly  they  related  the  glad  fact,  and  however  persistently  and 
minutely  they  described  His  appearance,  none  of  the  disciples  could  be  made  to 
believe  the  story  ;  they  thought  that  there  was  some  deception,  or  exaggeration 
or  unfathomable  motive.  Peter  had  been  to  the  tomb  and  he  had  neither  seen  an 
angel  nor  his  risen  lyord,  and  John,  whom  Jesus  so  loved,  had  been  no  more 
fortunate.     The  people  would  therefore  wait  for  other  evidence  before  believing. 

But  the  report  of  Christ's  resurrection  spread  with  great  rapidity  through 
Jerusalem,  and  with  such  general  inclination  to  believe  that  it  might  be  true  that 
the  priests  felt  the  importance  of  taking  measures  to  stop  its  further  circulation 
and  to  follow  the  declaration  with  equally  swift  denial.  The  soldiers  set  to  watch 
the  sepulchre  had  made  report  to  the  rabbis  of  the  vision  which  they  had  beheld, 


JKSUS  APPEARING  TO  MARY  IN  THE  GAkDKN. — Drawn  by  Plockhorst. 

(525) 


526  FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

and  this  made  the  high-priests  all  the  more  anxious.  They  accordingly  sent  for 
the  watch  and  by  the  payment  of  bribes  induced  them  to  declare  that  while  they 
were  sleeping  the  disciples  came  and  stole  the  body.  And  this  is  the  explanation 
of  the  lyord's  disappearing  from  the  tomb  which  the  Jews  continue  to  give. 

Christ  on  the  Road  to  Emmaus. 

The  next  appearance  of  Christ  was  to  Peter,  but  the  circumstance  of  the 
meeting  is  not  recorded.  Soon  after  He  revealed  Himself  under  singular  condi- 
tions to  two  other  disciples,  one  of  whom  was  Cleophas,  who  having  no  longer 
occasion  to  remain  in  Jerusalem,  had  left  the  city  and  started  on  their  way  to 
Emmaus,  which  was  a  small  village  about  eight  .miles  northwest  of  Jerusalem. 
Their  journey  was  a  sad  one.  Jesus,  who  had  been  their  admiration  and  their 
joy,  had  been  basely  massacred,  and  entombed.  As  with  sad  faces  and  broken 
hearts  they  passed  on  their  way,  a  Stranger  accosted  them,  who  becoming  a  familiar 
and  pleasant  companion,  they  told  to  Him  their  anxieties  and  bitterness  of  soul. 
He  in  turn  talked  to  them,  mightily  expounding  the  Scriptures.  He  threw  over 
them  the  fascination  of  intelligent  conversation.  They  forgot  the  time  and  noticed 
not  the  objects  they  passed,  and  before  they  were  aware  came  up  in  front  of  their 
house.  They  paused  before  the  entrance,  and  attempted  to  persuade  the  Stranger 
to  tarry  with  them.  They  pressed  upon  Him  their  hospitalities.  Night  was 
coming  on  and  He  might  meet  a  prowling  wild  beast  or  be  obliged  to  lie  unshel- 
tered from  the  dew.  He  could  not  go  much  further  now.  Why  not  stop  there, 
and  continue  their  pleasant  conversation  ?  They  took  Him  by  the  arm  and  insisted 
upon  His  coming  in,  addressing  Him  in  the  words:  "  Abide  with  us,  for  it  is 
toward  evening."  The  lamps  were  lighted,  the  table  was  spread,  socialities  were 
enkindled.  They  rejoiced  in  the  presence  of  the  Stranger  guest.  He  asked  a 
blessing  upon  the  bread  they  ate,  and  then  handed  a  piece  of  it  to  each.  Suddenly 
and  with  overwhelming  power  the  thought  flashed  upon  the  astounded  people — 
It  is  the  I,ord!  And  as  they  sat  in  breathless  wonder,  looking  upon  the  resurrected 
body  of  Jesus,  He  vanished.  The  interview  ended.  He  was  gone.  But  they 
knew  that  their  Guest  was  the  risen  Lord. 

Jesus  Appears  to  the  Eleven. 

With  joyful  steps  tne  two  disciples  returned  with  all  possible  haste  to  Jeru- 
salem, where  they  found  the  other  disciples  gathered  and  discussing  a  report  which 
Peter  had  just  made  them  of  having  seen  Jesus.  To  this  glad  news  the  two 
added  their  testimony  and  related  all  the  circumstances  of  their  meeting,  and  their 
lengthy  conversation  with  Him,  yet,  for  some  reason,  while  the  disciples  believed 
Peter  they  doubted  Cleophas  and  his  companion  ;  but  while  they  were  thus  talking 
and  partaking  of  the  evening  meal,  Jesus  suddenly  appeared  in  their  midst,  and 


FROM   MANGER   TO   THRONE. 


527 


hailed  them  with  the  fraternaUsalutatioii,  "  Peace  be  unto  you."  But  instead  of 
recognizing  Him,  thej^  were  terrified  at  the  belief  that  their  Visitor  was  a  spirit. 
Jesus  thereupon  upbraided  them  for  their  unbelief,  and  baring  His  hands  and 
feet  He  bade  them  look  ujion  His  wounds,  and  the  scars  that  were  upon  Him  •  but 
the}-  still  doubted. 
The}'  could  not  un- 
derstand. They  had 
seen  Him  p  e  r  f  o  r  m 
miracles  and  wonders, 
but  the  miracle  of 
His  appearing  was  to 
them  a  transcending 
of  the  raising  of  the 
widow's  son,  and  of 
Jairus's  daughter  and 
of  Lazarus. 

To  further  estab- 
lish His  identity  to 
their  weak  under- 
standing Jesus  called 
for  meat,  and  when 
the  disciples  gave 
Him  a  piece  of  broiled 
fish  and  some  honey, 
He  ate  before  them, 
and  then  repeated  U  < 
them  the  instruction  ^ 
and  prophecies  whicli 
He  had  given  them 
at  the  last  Passover 
feast,  and  He  breathed 
on  them,  saying, 
"Receive  ye  tin 
Holy  Ghost."  Be- 
fore this  evidence 
their    eyes  were 

opened  to  the  truth,  and  they  believed.  But  Thomas  was  not  among  the  disciples 
when  Jesus  met  them  at  supper,  and  when  they  told  him  of  having  seen  the  Lord 
and  of  having  eaten  and  conversed  at  length  with  Him,  he  boldly  told  them  that 
he  did  not  believe,  nor  would  he  believe  Christ  was  risen  unless  he  should  see  in 


528  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

His  hands  the  prints  of  the  nails,  and  put  his  finger  into  the  wounds,  and  thrust 
his  hand  into  the  pierced  side. 

Eight  days  later  the  disciples  were  again  together  and  Thomas  with  them, 
when;  as  before,  Jesus  suddenly  appeared,  saying,  "  Peace  be  unto  you."  Fixing 
His  eyes  on  Thomas,  Jesus  said  to  him,  ' '  Reach  hither  thy  finger,  and  behold 
My  hands  ;  and  reach  hither  thy  hand  and  thrust  it  into  My  side,  and  be  not 
faithless,  but  believing."  The  challenge  was  too  much  for  Thomas,  the  loving 
words  melted  his  heart,  he  saw,  he  believed,  and  with  signs  of  worshipful  devo- 
tion and  bursting  joy  he  cried  out,  ' '  My  Lord  and  My  God. "  ' '  Blessed  are  they 
that  have  not  seen  and  yet  have  believed,"  answered  Jesus. 

Jesus  in  Galilee.' 

As  Jesus  had  instructed,  the  eleven  disciples  left  Jerusalem  and  went  into 
Galilee  to  the  coast  towns  of  Gennesaret,  where  several  of  the  first  disciples  lived, 
'l^hither  also  went  Jesus,  not  by  dusty  way  and  toilsome  journey  ;  not  with 
blistered  feet  and  in  half  famishment,  for  the  human  now  being  separated  from 
the  spiritual  nature,  Jesus  rode  in  the  chariot  of  the  winds,  and  at  His  will  moved 
hither  and  yon  like  the  flash  of  an  eye  that  roams  from  earth  to  planet,  from 
planet  to  immeasurable  space. 

Some  of  the  disciples  had  resumed  their  fishing  nets  on  Galilee,  and  there 
seven  of  them  were  engaged  one  whole  night  without  taking  anything.  In  the 
morning,  as  their  vessel  stood  a  short  distance  off  the  shore,  they  saw  a  man  whom 
they  did  not  recognize,  but  who  called  out  to  them,  "Children,  have  ye  any 
meat?  "  And  they  answered  "  No  ;  "  for  they  had  not  so  much  as  a  single  fish. 
And  Jesus  again  cried  out  to  them,  "  Cast  the  net  on  the  right-hand  side  of  the 
ship  and  ye  shall  find."  Why,  what  strange  advice;  did  not  Peter  and  John 
and  the  two  sons  of  Zebedee,  who  had  spent  all  their  lives  fishing  in  this  lake, 
know  the  best  fishing  places,  and  the  best  time  for  casting  ?  But,  nevertheless, 
the  disciples  threw  in  their  biggest  net,  and  when  they  would  haul  it  in  they 
found  that  there  was  such  a  multitude  of  fish  that  seven  pairs  of  strong  arms  had 
scarcely  strength  enough  to  pull  it.  Here  was  a  miracle  ;  it  had  been  done  before, 
and  John  immediately  knew  who  the  Stranger  on  the  bank  must  be.  So  he 
shouted,  "It  is  the  Lord  ! ' '  That  was  enough  for  Peter,  who  being  naked  caught 
up  his  coat  and  hastily  binding  it  around  his  loins  plunged  into  the  sea  in  his 
haste  to  reach  the  shore  and  embrace  Jesus.  The  other  disciples  held  on  to  the 
net  and  slowly  hauled  it  to  the  bank  with  its  tremendous  catch. 

When  the  disciples  had  come  on  shore  they  found  Jesus  cooking  His  break- 
fast, a  fish  broiling  on  some  coals  and  bread  near  Him-.  But  He  called  to  them 
to  bring  some  of  the  hundred  and  fifty-three  large  fish  which  they  had  t^ken, 
for  they  would  now  make  a  feast. 


JESUS  SHOWS   HIMSELF  TO   HIS   DISCIPLKS. 


(529) 


530  FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE. 

Lovest   Thou    Me  ? 

After  a  number  of  fish  had  been  broiled  and  all  the  company  had  heartily 
eaten,  Jesus  spoke  to  Peter,  saying,  ""Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  lovest  thou  Me  more 
than  these  [disciples]  ?"  "Yea,  Lord,"  answered  Peter,  "Thou  knowest  that  I 
love  Thee  "  But  Peter,  whose  asseverations  of  single  devotedness  to  Jesus  had 
been  given  before,  had  apparently  changed  his  relationship  to  his  Master.  The 
impulsive  and  faithful  Peter  of  Gethsemane  had  become  the  weak  and  thrice- 
denying  Peter  before  the  court  of  the  high-priests.  But  the  Lord  would  not  con- 
demn him  for  his  denials  ;  He  more  than  any  man  could  understand  how  fear, 
inspired  by  appalling  danger,  may  wrap  itself  in  a  cloak  of  deception  to  effect 
escape,  and  beneath  this  mask  Christ  was  able,  with  omniscient  eye,  to  see  the 
heart  and  note  every  change.  Jesus  therefore  knew  that  Peter's  denials  were  but 
expedients,  and  that  they  were  not  expressions  of  a  changeful  heart,  but  He  would 
nevertheless  test  him  again  before  restoring  him  to  fullest  fellowship  in  the  Apos- 
tolic order.  Therefore  said  Jesus,  "  If  you  love  Me,  feed  My  lambs."  Or,  in 
other  words,  ' '  Love  for  Me  is  love  for  the  world  ;  go  and  minister  to  all  who  need 
you  ;  spread  the  gospel,  and  be  a  true  shepherd  to  Jew  and  Gentile,  or  whosoever 
will  accept  your  teaching  in  My  name. ' '  But  again  Jesus  asked  Peter  the  same 
question,  to  which  he  answered  with  emphasis,  "  Yes,  Lord  ;  Thou  knowest  that 
I  love  Thee."  Then  said  Jesus,  "  Feed  My  sheep."  The  sheep  are  those  who 
have  accepted  Christ,  but  who  must  be  encouraged  and  tended,  for  Peter  was  now 
'  to  become  the  shepherd  of  the  flock  ;  and  as  a  faithful  shepherd  looks  carefully 
after  the  needs  of  his  sheep,  so  must  Peter,  henceforth,  minister  to  the  spiritual 
wants  of  those  committed  to  his  keeping. 

Jesus  desired  to  impress  upon  Peter  the  supreme  importance  of  his  under- 
standing the  new  condition  which  he  would  thereafter  be  under  in  his  relation- 
ship to  the  church,  of  which  he  was  to  be  a  chief  corner-stone  of  the  foundation, 
and  He  therefore  for  a  third  time  asked  the  question,  "Lovest  thou  Me  more 
than  these  ?  ' '  The  question  was  not  meant  to  give  reproof,  but  to  impress  instruc- 
tion, though  Peter  felt  humbled  under  a  suspicion  that  his  sincerity  was  doubted. 
Peter  therefore  answered,  "  Lord,  Thou  knowest  all  things  ;  Thou  knowest  that  I 
love  Thee."  Then  again  Jesus  commanded  him,  "  Feed  M}^  sheep  ;  think  always 
of  your  weakness  ;  if  you  have  denied  Me  thrice  under  fear,  may  3^ou  not  deny 
Me  again,  when  equal  danger  threatens  ?  You  have  exercised  your  liberties,  as 
you  do  now,  and  have  followed  Me  ;  but  in  your  old  age,  as  the  shepherd  of  My 
flock,  you  will  stretch  forth  your  hands  in  helplessness  and  your  enemies  will 
bind  you  and  do  with  j^ou  whatever  their  cruel  natures  prompt  ;  and  as  you  have 
seen  Me  crucified,  so  also  will  your  enemies  do  with  you,  but  3'our  sufferings,  as 
were  Mine,  will  be  to  glorify  God." 

After  Jesus  had  thus  spoken.  He  said  unto   His  disciples,  "Follow  Me." 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  531 

But  Peter,  not  understanding  that  Jesus  meant  he  should  follow  Him  with 
unfaltering  footsteps  to  a  martyr's  cross,  and  seeing  Jesus  departing,  construed 
the  command  literally  and  started  to  follow.  But  as  Peter  went  on  a  few  steps  he 
saw  John  lingering  behind,  or  coming  at  .slower  paces,  and  unwilling  to  separate 
from  his  companion  he  asked  the  Lord,  "  What  shall  this  man  do?  "  or,  "  May 
not  John  also  follow  us?"  "Why,"  an.swered  Jesus,  "  if  I  will  that  he  tarry 
till  I  come,  what  is  that  to  thee."  Or,  "If  it  be  My  will  that  John  shall  not  die 
till  I  come  again,  why  .should  you  seek  to  know  it.  Let  My  request  be  sufficient 
incentive  to  you  ;  follow  Me  in  faithful  service  to  the  end,  nor  seek  to  evade  any 
of  the  responsibilities  I  have  placed  upon  you.  Bravely  face  all  trial,  all  perse- 
cution, and  lastfy  death  itself,  for  every  pain  you  suffer  for  My  sake  shall  add  a 
jewel  to  the  crown  which  you  shall  wear." 

Christ  Reappears  to  flany  Others. 

Paul  tells  us  that,  some  time  after  the  meeting  by  the  shore  of  Gennesaret, 
Jesus  showed  Himself,  by  appointment,  on  some  mountain,  most  probably  in 
Galilee,  not  only  to  the  eleven  disciples,  but  to  more  than  five  hundred  persons, 
many  of  whom  were  living  when  Paul  made  the  record.  There  was  no  mistake, 
for  a  large  number  in  that  glorious  audience  recognized  Him  fully  and  worshiped 
Him  ;  but  there  were  others  who  doubted,  because  perhaps  they  had  never  seen 
Jesus  before,  or  so  seldom  that,  with  natural  doubts,  they  could  not  recognize 
Him.  But  Jesus  talked- with  His  disciples,  to  whom  He  again  declared  His  '• 
Messiahship,  and  gave  to  them  His  parting  instruction  in  these  words,  ' '  All 
power  is  given  Me  in  heaven  and  in  earth.  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  [therefore 
in  My  name]  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature.  He  that  believeth  and  is 
baptized  shall  be  saved  ;  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.  And  these 
signs  shall  follow  them  that  believe.  In  My  name  shall  they  cast  out  devils  ; 
they  shall  speak  with  new  tongues  ;  they  shall  take  up  serpents ;  and  if  they 
drink  any  deadly  thing,  it  shall  not  hurt  them  ;  they  shall  lay  hands  on  the  sick, 
and  they  shall  recover.  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  teaching 
them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  >'ou  ;  and,  lo,  I  am 
with  you  always,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.     Amen." 

Thereafter  Jesus  appeared  to  James,  and  once  more  to  the  eleven  apostles, 
just  preceding  His  ascen.sion  from  Mt.  Olivet,  forty  days  after  His  crucifixion, 
so  that  altogether  there  must  have  been  a  thousand  credible  witnesses  to  His 
resurrection  ;  testimony  not  only  sufficient,  but  overwhelming.  Evidence  indis- 
putable, proof  convincing,  a  fact  fully,  completely,  thoroughly  established.  Who 
may  gainsay  it  ? 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

THE     ASCENSION. 

OHE  days  in  which  Jesus  was  bound  to  earth  were  now  nearly  done  p 
the  sun  of  the  last  day  had  risen  and  was  riding  fast  upward  to  the 
meridian,  looking  like  a  golden  door  standing  open  for  our  Lord's 
re-entering  of  heaven.  He  had  told  his  disciples  to  await  Him  in 
Jerusalem  until  the  time  was  come  for  the  fulfill njent  of  the  prophecy  that  He 
should  be  received  back  up  into  heaven,  which  would  occur  not  many  days  thence. 
That  day  was  now  at  hand.  Jesus  met  the  disciples  and  gave  to  them  a  few 
parting  words  respecting  the  power  which  would  be  delegated  to  them,  and  of  how 
they  should  be  witnesses  of  all  that  they  had  seen,  to  the  people  of  all  the  world. 
After  thus  speaking  Jesus  led  them  out  as  far  as  Bethany  and  to  the  Mount  of 
Olives.  Here  the  solemn,  the  sorrowing,  but  the  glorious,  parting  was  now  ta 
occur.  The  occasion  was  not  one  for  words  ;  there  are  moments  in  ever5^one's 
life  when  the  tongue  is  no  interpreter  of  the  heart,  when  words  would  be  obtrusive 
and  an  impediment  to  thought.  Better  let  the  tongue  lie  still  than  to  allow  it  ta 
break  a  sacred  spell  by  voiceful  interruption.  The  record  was  finished,  and  Jesus- 
had  written  ^?n's  on  the  last  leaf,  and  had  given  the  closed  book  to  His  disciples 
for  their  guidance.  Nothing  now  remained  for  Christ  to  do  but  to  lift  His  loving 
hands  and  bless  those  to  whom  He  had  given  the  highest  earthly  commission,  that 
of  Apostleship.  And  while  He  blessed  them  He  was  caught  up  in  a  cloud  and 
was  parted  from  them. 

Among  the  mountains  of  Palestine  no  one  is  more  uplifting  than  Mount 
Olivet.  It  was  the  peroration  of  our  Lord's  ministry.  On  the  roof  of  a  house  in 
Jerusalem  I  asked,  "  Which  is  Olivet?  "  and  the  first  glance  transfixed  me.  But 
how  shall  I  describe  my  emotions,  when,  near  the  close  of  a  journey,  in  which  we 
had  for  two  nights  encamped  amid  the  crumbled  walls  of  old  Jericho,  and  tasted  of 
the  acrid  waters  of  the  Dead  Sea,  that  crj-stal  sarcophagus  of  the  buried  cities  of 
the  plain,  and  waded  down  into  the  deep  and  swift  Jordan  to  baptize  a  man,  and 
visited  the  ruins  of  the  house  of  Mary  and  Martha  and  Lazarus,  we  found  our- 
selves in  stirrups  and  on  a  horse  lathered  with  the  long  and  difficult  way,  ascend- 
ing Mount  Olivet.  Over  this  ridge  King  David  fled  with  a  broken  heart.  Over 
it  Pompey  led  his  devastating  hosts.  Here  the  famous  Tenth  Legion  were 
entrenched.  The  Garden  of  Gethsemane  weeps  at  the  foot  of  it.  Along  the  base  of 
this  hill  flashed  the  lanterns  and  torches  of  those  who  came  to  arrest  Jesus.  From 
the  trees  on  this  hill  the  boughs  were  torn  off  and  thrown  into  the  path  of  Christ's 

(532) 


THE  PARTING  ON  MOUNT  OLIVET.  — Drawn  Ijy  I'lockliorst. 


V533) 


534  FROM    MANGER  TO  THRONE. 

triumphal  procession.  Up  and  down  that  road  Jesus  had  walked  twice  a  day,  from 
Bethany  to  Jerusalem,  and  from  Jerusalem  to  Bethan)^  There,  again  and  again,  He 
had  taught  His  disciples.  Half-way  up  this  mount  He  uttered  his  lamentation, 
"  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem  !"  From  its  heights  Jesus  took  flight  homeward  when  He 
had  finished  His  earthly  mission.  There  is  no  reason  for  his  staying  longer.  A 
sacrifice  was  needed  to  make  peace  between  the  recreant  earth  and  the  outraged 
heaven,  and  he  had  offered  it.  Death  needed  to  be  conquered,  and  He  had  put 
his  resurrection  foot  upon  it.     The  thirty-three  years  of  voluntary  exile  had  ended. 

The  Parting. 

On  Mount  Olivet  Jesus  stands  in  a  group  of. Galilee  fishermen.  They  had 
been  together  in  many  scenes  of  sadness  and  persecution,  and  had  been  the  more 
endeared  by  that  brotherhood  of  suffering.  They  had  expected  Him  to  stay  until 
the  day  of  coronation,  when  he  would  take  the  earthly  throne  and  wave  a  sceptre 
mightier,  and  rule  a  dominion  wider,  than  any  Pharaoh,  than  any  David,  than  any 
Caesar.  .  But  now  all  these  anticipations  collapse.  Christ  has  given  his  last 
advice.  He  has  offered  His  last  sympathy.  He  has  spoken  His  last  word.  His 
hands  are  spread  apart  as  one  is  apt  to  do  when  he  pronounces  a  benediction,  when 
suddenly  the  strongest  and  most  stupendous  law  of  all  worlds  is  shattered.  It  is 
the  law  which,  since  the  worlds  were  created,  holds  them  together.  It  is  the  law 
which  holds  everything  to  the  earth,  or,  temporarily  hurled  from  earth,  returns  to 
it  ;  the  law  which  keeps  the  planets  whirling  around  our  sun,  and  our  solar  system 
whirling  around  other  systems,  and  all  the  systems  whirling  around  the  throne  of 
God — the  law  of  gravitation.  That  law  is  suspended,  or  relaxed,  or  broken,  to 
let  the  body  of  Jesus  go.  That  law  had  laid  hold  of  Him  thirty- three  years  before, 
when  He  descended.  It  had  relaxed  its  grip  of  Him  but  once,  and  that  when  it 
declined  to  sink  Him  from  the  top  of  the  waves  on  Lake  Galilee,  on  which  He 
walked,  to  the  bottom  of  the  lake.  That  law  of  gravitation  must  now  give  way 
to  Him  who  made  the  law.  It  may  hold  the  other  stars,  but  it  cannot  longer  hold 
the  Morning  Star  of  the  Redemption.  It  may  hold  the  noonday  sun,  but  it  can- 
not hold  the  Sun  of  Righteousness.  The  fingers  of  that  law  are  about  to  open  to 
let  go  the  most  illustrious  Being  the  world  had  ever  seen,  and  whom  it  had  worst 
maltreated.  The  strongest  law  of  nature  which  philosophers  ever  weighed  or 
measured  must  at  last  give  way.  It  will  break  between  the  rock  of  Olivet  and 
the  heel  of  Christ's  foot.  Watch  it,  all  ye  disciples  !  Watch  it,  all  the  earth  f 
Watch  it,  all  the  heavens  !  Christ  about  to  leave  this  planet.  How  ?  His  friends 
will  not  consent  to  have  Him  go.  His  enemies  catching  Him  would  only  attempt, 
by  another  Calvary,  to  put  Him  into  some  other  tomb.  I  will  tell  you  how. 
The  chain  of  the  most  tremendous  natural  law  is  unlinked.  The  sacred  foot  of 
our  Lord  and  the  limestone  rock  part,  and  part  forever. 


FROM    MANGER   TO   THRONE.  535 

From  Earth  and  Persecution  into  Skies  of  Glory. 

The  cruel  world  took  Him  in  at  the  start  on  a  cradle  of  straw,  and  at  last 
thrust  Him  out  with  the  point  of  a  spear  ;  but  benediction  !  Ascending  until 
beneath,  He  saw  on  one  side  the  Bethlehem  where  they  put  Him  among  the 
cattle,  and  Calvary  on  the  other  side,  where  they  put  Him  among  the  thieves  ;  but 
benediction  !  As  far  as  the  excited  and  intensified  vision  of  the  group  on  Olivet 
could  see  Him,  and  after  He  was  so  far  up  tliey  could  no  longer  hear  His  words, 
they  saw  the  gesture  of  the  outspread  hands  ;  the  benediction  !  And  that  is  His 
attitude  to-day.  His  benediction  upon  the  world's  climates,  and  they  are  changing, 
and  will  keep  on  changing  until  the  atmosphere  shall  be  a  commingling  of 
October  and  June.  Benediction  upon  the  deserts  till  they  whiten  with  lily,  and 
blush  with  rose,  and  yellow  with  cowslip,  and  emerald  with  grass.  Benediction 
upon  the  governments  till  they  become  more  just  and  humane.  Benediction  upon 
nations  till  they  kneel  in  prayer.  Benediction  upon  the  whole  earth  until  every 
mountain  is  an  Olivet  of  consecration,  and  ever>^  lake  a  Galilee  on  whose  mosaic 
of  crystal,  and  opal,  and  sapphire  divine  splendors  shall  walk. 

Leaning  back,  and  with  pallid  cheek  and  uplifted  eyes,  the  disciples  see  their 
Lord  rising  from  the  solid  earth.  Then,  rushing  forward,  they  would  grasp  His 
feet  to  hold  Him  fast,  but  they  are  out  of  reach,  and  it  is  too  late  to  detain  Him. 
Higher  than  the  tops  of  the  fig-trees  from  which  they  had  plucked  the  fruit. 
Higher  than  the  olive-trees  that  shaded  the  mount.  Higher,  until  He  is  within 
sight  of  the  Bethlehem  where  He  was  born,  and  the  Jordan  where  He  was 
baptized,  and  the  Golgotha  where  He  was  slain.  Higher,  until  on  stairs  of  fleecy 
cloud  He  steps.  Higher,  until,  into  a  sky  bluer  than  the  lake  that  could  not  sink 
Him,  He  disappears  into  a  sea  of  glory  whose  billowing  splendors  hide  Him. 
The  fishermen  watch  and  watch,  wondering  if  the  law  of  nature  will  not  reassert 
itself,  and  He  shall  in  a  few  moments  come  back  again,  and  they  shall  see  Him 
descending  ;  first  His  scarred  feet  coming  in  sight,  then  the  scarred  side,  then  the 
scarred  brow,  and  they  may  take  again  His  scarred  hand.  But  the  moments  pass 
by,  and  the  hours,  and  no  reappearance.  Gone  out  of  sight  of  earth,  but  come 
within  sight  of  heaven.  And  rising  still,  not  welcomed  by  one  angelic  choir  like 
those  who  one  Christmas  night  escorted  Him  down,  but  all  heaven  turns  out  to 
greet  Him  home,  and  the  temples  have  especial  anthem,  and  the  palaces  especial 
banquet,  and  the  streets  especial  throngs  ;  and  all  along  the  line  to  the  foot  of  the 
throne,  for  years  vacated,  there  are  arches  lifted,  and  banners  wa\^d,  and  trumpets 
sounded,  and  doxologies  chanted,  and  coronets  cast  down. 

It  was  the  greatest  day  in  heaven  !  As  He  mounts  the  throne  that  thirty- 
three  years  before  He  abdicated  for  us,  there  rises  from  all  the  hosts  of  heaven  a 
shout,  saintly,  cherubic,  seraphic,  archangelic,   "Hallelujah  !     Amen!'' 


CONCLUSION. 

WHY   THIS    MARTYRDOM  ?      SUBSTITUTION  ! 

S  a  fitting  conclusion  to  this  work,  which  I  offer  as  a  tribute  to 
my  lyOrd,  to  whom  all  praise  and  glory  and  sacrifices  are  worthy 
to  be  paid,  I  desire  to  append  a  few  observations  on  the  cruci- 
fixion of  Christ  for  the  remission  of  our  sins — His  substitution  as 
an  expiation  for  our  crimes — and  to  introduce  parallels,  copied  from  examples 
of  history  and  experience,  in  illustration  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  atonement. 

John  G.  Whittier,  the  last  of  the  great  school  of  American  poets  that  made 
the  last  quarter  of  a  century  brilliant,  asked  me  in  the  White  Mountains,  one 
morning  after  prayers,  in  which  I  had  given  out  Cowper's  famous  hymn  about 
"The  Fountain  filled  v;ith  Blood,"  "Do  j^ou  really  believe  there  is  a  literal 
application  of  the  blood  of  Christ  to  the  soul  ?  ' '  My  negative  reply  then  is  my 
negative  reply  now.  The  Bible  statement  agrees  with  all  physicians,  and  all 
physiologists,  and  all  scientists,  in  saying  that  the  blood  is  the  life,  and  in  the 
Christian  religion  it  means  simply  that  Christ's  life  was  given  for  our  life.  Hence 
all  this  talk  of  men  who  say  the  Bible  story  of  blood  is  disgusting,  and  that  they 
do  not  want  what  they  call  a  "slaughter-house  religion,"  only  shows  their  inca- 
pacity or  unwillingness  to  look  through  the  figure  of  speech  toward  the  thing 
signified.  The  blood  that,  on  the  darkest  Frida}^  that  the  world  ever  saw,  oozed,  or 
trickled,  or  poured  from  the  brow,  and  the  side,  and  the  hands,  and  the  feet  of  the 
illustrious  Sufferer,  back  of  Jerusalem,  in  a  few  hours  coagulated  and  dried  up, 
and  forever  disappeared  ;  and  if  man  had  depended  on  the  application  of  the 
literal  blood  of  Christ,  there  would  not  have  been  a  soul  saved  for  the  last  eighteen 
centuries. 

We  only  have  to  exercise  as  much  common  sense  in  religion  as  we  do  in 
everything  else.  Pang  for  pang,  hunger  for  hunger,  fatigue  for  fatigue,  tear  for 
tear,  blood  for  blood,  life  for  life,  w^e  see  every  day  illustrated.  The  act  of  substi- 
tution is  no  novelty,  although  I  hear  men  talk  as  though  the  idea  of  Christ's 
suffering  substituted  for  our  suffering  were  something  abnormal,  something 
distressingly  odd,  something  wildly  eccentric,  a  solitary  episode  in  the  world's 
history  ;  when  I  can  point  5'ou  to  five  hundred  cases  of  substitution  and  voluntary 
suffering  of  one  in  behalf  of  another. 

At  two  o'clock  any  afternoon  go  among  the  places  of  business  or  toil.  It 
will  be  no  difficult  thing  for  }ou  to  find  men  who,  by  their  looks,  show  you  that 
they  are  overworked.     They  are  prematurely  old.     They  are  hastening  rapidly 

(536) 


FROM    MANGKR   TO   THRONE.  537 

to  their  decease.  They  have  gone  through  crises  in  business  that  shattered  their 
nervous  system,  and  pulled  on  the  brain.  They  have  a  shortness  of  breath,  and 
a  pain  in  the  back  of  the  head,  and  at  night  an  insomnia  that  alarms  them. 
Why  are  they  drudging  at  business  early  and  late  ?  For  fun  ?  No  ;  it  would  be 
difficult  to  extract  any  amusement  out  of  exhaustion.  Because  they  are  avari- 
cious? In  many  cases  no.  Because  their  personal  expenses  are  lavish  ?  No;  a 
few  hundred  dollars  would  meet  all  their  wants.  The  simple  fact  is,  the  man  is 
enduring  all  that  fatigue  and  exasperation,  and  wear  and  tear,  to  keep  his  home 
prosperous.  He  is  simply  the  champion  of  a  homestead,  for  which  he  wins  bread, 
and  wardrobe,  and  education,  and  prosperity,  and  in  such  battle  ten  thousand  men 
fall.  Of  ten  business  men  whom  I  bury,  nine  die  of  overwork  for  others.  Some 
sudden  disease  finds  them  with  no  power  of  resistance,  and  they  are  gone,  Life 
for  life.     Blood  for  blood.     Substitution  ! 

The  riother's  Sacrifice. 

At  one  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  hour  when  slumber  is  most  uninterrupted 
and  most  profound,  walk  amid  the  dwelling-houses  of  the  city.  Here  and  there 
you  will  find  a  dim  light,  because  it  is  the  household  custom  to  keep  a  subdued 
light  burning  ;  but  most  of  the  houses  from  base  to  top  are  as  dark  as  though 
uninhabited.  A  merciful  God  has  sent  forth  an  archangel  of  sleep,  and  he  puts 
his  wings  over  the  city.  But  yonder  is  a  clear  light  burning,  and  outside  on  the 
-window  casement  a  glass  or  pitcher  containing  food  for  a  sick  child  ;  the  food  is 
set  in  the  fresh  air.  This  is  the  sixth  night  that  mother  has  set  up  with  that  suf- 
ferer. She  has  to  the  last  point  obeyed  the  phj'sician's  prescription,  not  giving  a 
•drop  too  much  or  too  little,  or  a  moment  too  soon  or  too  late.  By  dint  of 
kindness  she  gets  the  little  one  through  the  ordeal.  After  it  is  all  over,  the 
mother  is  taken  down.  Brain  or  nervous  fever  sets  in,  and  one  day  she  leaves 
the  convalescent  child  with  a  mother's  blessing,  and  goes  up  to  join  the  three  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Life  for  life.  Substitution  !  The  fact  is  that  there  is 
an  uncounted  number  of  mothers  who,  after  they  have  navigated  a  large  family 
of  children  through  all  the  diseases  of  infancy,  and  got  them  fairly  started  up  the 
■flowering  slope  of  boyhood  and  girlhood,  have  only  strength  enough  left  to  die. 
They  fade  away.  Some  call  it  consumption  ;  some  call  it  nervous  prostration  ; 
some  call  it  intermittent  or  malarial  disturbance  ;  but  I  call  it  martyrdom  of  the 
domestic  circle.     Life  for  life.     Blood  for  blood.     Substitution  ! 

Or  perhaps  the  mother  lingers  long  enough  to  see  a  son  get  on  the  wrong 
road,  and  his  former  kindness  becomes  rough  repl}^  when  she  expresses  anxiety 
about  him.  But  she  goes  right  on,  looking  carefully  after  his  apparel,  remember- 
ing his  every  birthday  with  some  memento,  and  when  he  is  brought  home  worn 
out  with  dissipation,  nurses  him  till  he  gets  well  and  starts  him  again,  and  hopes, 


538  FROM   MANGER  TO   THRONE. 

and  expects,  and  prays,  and  counsels,  and  suffers,  until  her  strength  gives  out 
and  she  fails.  The  simple  fact  is,  she  died  for  him.  Life  for  life.  Substitution  ! 
Nearly  thirty  years  ago  there  went  forth  from  our  homes  hundreds  of  thous- 
ands of  men  to  do  battle  for  their  country.  All  the  poetry  of  war  soon  vanished, 
and  left  them  the  terrible  prose.  They  waded  knee-deep  in  mud.  They  slept  in 
snow-banks.  They  marched  till  their  cut  feet  tracked  the  earth.  They  were 
swindled  out  of  their  honest  rations,  and  lived  on  meat  not  fit  for  a  dog. 
They  died  in  barns,  in  bushes,  in  ditches,  the  buzzards  of  the  summer-heat  the 
only  attendants  on  their  obsequies.  No  one  but  the  infinite  God,  who  knows 
everything,  knows  the  ten-thousandth  part  of  the  length,  and  breadth,  and  depth, 
and  height  of  anguish  of  the  Northern  and  Southern  battlefields.  Why  did 
these  fathers  leave  their  children  and  go  to  the  front,  and  why  did  these  young; 
men,  postponing  the  marriage-day,  start  out  into  the  probabilities  of  never  com- 
ing back  ?     For  the  country  they  died.     Life  for  life.     Substitution  ! 

QrappHng  with  the  Plague. 

But  we  need  not  go  so  far.  What  is  that  monument  in  Greenwood  ?  It  is 
to  the  doctors  who  fell  in  the  Southern  epidemics.  Why  go  ?  Were  there  not 
enough  sick  to  be  attended  in  these  Northern  latitudes?  Oh,  yes  ;  but  the  doctor 
puts  a  few  medical  books  in  his  valise,  and  some  vials  of  medicine,  and  leaves  his 
patients  here  in  the  hands  of  other  physicians,  and  takes  the  rail-train.  Before 
he  gets  to  the  infected  regions  he  passes  crowded  rail-trains,  regular  and  extra, 
taking  the  flying  and  affrighted  populations.  He  arrives  in  a  city  over  which  a 
great  horror  is  brooding.  He  goes  from  couch  to  couch,  feeling  of  pulse  and 
studying  symptoms,  and  prescribing  day  after  day,  night  after  night,  until  a 
fellow-physician  says  :  ' '  Doctor,  you  had  better  go  home  and  rest ;  you  look 
miserable."  But  he  cannot  rest  while  so  many  are  suffering.  On  and  on,  until 
some  morning  finds  him  in  a  delirium,  in  which  he  talks  of  home,  and  then  rises- 
and  says  he  must  go  and  look  after  those  patients.  He  is  told  to  lie  down  ;  but 
he  fights  his  attendants  until  he  falls  back,  and  is  weaker  and  weaker,  and  dies 
for  people  whom  he  never  knew,  and  far  away  from  his  own  family,  and  is  hastily 
put  away  in  a  stranger's  tomb,  and  only  the  fifth  part  of  a  newspaper  line  tells  us 
of  his  sacrifice — his  name  just  mentioned  among  five.  Yet  he  has  touched  the 
furthest  height  of  sublimity  in  that  three  weeks  of  humanitarian  service.  He 
goes  straight  as  an  arrow  to  the  bosom  of  Him  who  said  :  "I  was  sick  and  ye 
visited  Me."     Life  for  life.     Blood  for  blood.     Substitution! 

In  the  legal  profession  I  .see  the  same  principle  of  self-sacrifice.  In  1846, 
William  Freeman,  a  pauperized  and  idiotic  negro,  was,  at  Auburn,  N.  Y.,  on  trial 
for  murder.  He  had  slain  the  entire  Van  Nest  family.  The  foaming  wrath  of 
the  community  could  be  kept  off"  him  only  by  armed  constables.     Who  would 


FROM   MANGER   TO  THRONE.  53^ 

volunteer  to  be  his  counsel  ?  No  attorney  wanted  to  sacrifice  his  popularity  by 
such  an  ungrateful  task.  All  were  silent  save  one,  a  young  lawyer  with  feeble 
voice,  that  could  hardly  be  heard  outside  the  bar,  pale  and  thin  and  awkward. 
It  was  William  H.  Seward,  who  saw  that  the  prisoner  was  idiotic  and  irrespon- 
sible, and  ought  to  be  put  in  an  asylum  rather  than  put  to  death,  the  heroic 
counsel  uttering  these  beautiful  words  : 

"  I  speak  now  in  the  hearing  of  a  people  who  have  prejudged  prisoner  and 
condemned  me  for  pleading .  in  his  behalf.  He  is  a  convict,  a  pauper,  a  negro, 
without  intellect,  sense,  or  emotion.  My  child  with  an  affectionate  smile  disarms 
my  care-worn  face  of  its  frown  whenever  I  cross  my  threshold.  The  beggar  in 
the  street  obliges  me  to  give  because  he  says,  '  God  bless  you  ! '  as  I  pass.  My 
dog  caresses  me  with  fondness  if  I  will  but  smile  on  him.  My  horse  recognizes- 
me  when  I  fill  his  manger.  What  reward,  what  gratitude,  what  sympathy  and 
affection  can  I  expect  here?  There  the  prisoner  sits.  Look  at  him.  Look  at 
the  assemblage  around  you.  Listen  to  their  ill-suppressed  censures  and  their 
excited  fears,  and  tell  me  where  among  my  neighbors  or  my  fellow-men,  where, 
even  in  his  heart,  I  can  expect  to  find  a  sentiment,  a  thought,  not  to  say  of 
reward  or  of  acknowledgment,  or  even  of  recognition  ?  Gentlemen,  you  may 
think  of  this  evidence  what  you  please,  bring  in  what  verdict  you  can,  but  I 
asseverate  before  Heaven  and  you,  that,  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge  and  belief, 
the  prisoner  at  the  bar  does  not  at  this  moment  know  wfty  it  is  that  my  shadow 
falls  on  3'ou  instead  of  his  own." 

The  gallows  got  its  victim,  but  the  post-mortem  examination  of  the  poor 
creature  showed  to  all  the  surgeons  and  to  all  the  world  that  the  public  were 
wrong  and  William  H.  Seward  was  right,  and  that  hard,  stony  step  of  obloquy 
in  the  Auburn  court-room  was  the  first  step  of  the  stairs  of  fame  up  which  he 
went  to  the  top,  or  to  within  one  step  of  the  top,  that  last  denied  him  through 
the  treachery  of  American  politics.  Nothing  sublimer  was  ever  seen  in  an 
American  court-room  than  William  H.  Seward,  without  reward,  standing  between 
the  fury  of  the  populace  and  the  loathsome  imbecile.     Substitution  ! 

Christ  the  Archetype. 

What  an  exalting  principle  this  which  leads  one  to  suffer  for  another ! 
Nothing  so  kindles  enthusiasm,  or  awakens  eloquence,  or  chimes  poetic  canto, 
or  moves  nations.  The  principle  is  the  dominant  one  in  our  religion — Christ  the 
Martyr,  Christ  the  celestial  Hero,  Christ  the  Defender,  Christ  the  Substitute. 
No  new  principle,  for  it  was  as  old  as  human  nature  ;  but  now  on  a  grander, 
wider,  higher,  deeper  and  more  world-resounding  .scale  !  The  .shepherd  boy  as  a 
champion  for  Israel  with  a  sling  toppled  the  giant  of  Philistine  braggadocio  in^ 
the  dust  ;  but  here  is  another  David  who,  for  all  the  armies  of  churches  militant. 


540  FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONE. 

and  triumphant,  hurls  the  GoHath  of  perdition  into  defeat,  the  crash  of  his  brazen 
armor  like  an  explosion  at  Hell  Gate.  Abraham  had  at  God's  command  agreed 
to  sacrifice  his  son  Isaac,  and  the  same  God  just  in  time  had  provided  a  ram  of 
the  thicket  as  a  substitute  ;  but  here  is  another  Isaac  bound  to  the  altar,  and  no 
hand  arrests  the  sharp  edges  of  laceration  and  death,  and  the  universe  shivers 
and  quakes  and  recoils  and  groans  at  the  horror. 

All  good  men  have  for  centuries  been  trying  to  tell  whom  this  Substitute 
was  like,  and  every  comparison,  inspired  and  uninspired,  evangelistic,  prophetic, 
apostolic,  and  human,  falls  short,  for  Christ  was  the  Great  Unlike.  Adam  a  type 
of  Christ,  because  he  came  directly  from  God  ;  Noah  a  type  of  Christ,  because  he 
delivered  his  own  family  from  the  deluge ;  Melchisedec  a  type  of  Christ,  because 
he  had  no  predecessor  or  successor  ;  Joseph  a  t^^pe  of  Christ,  because  he  was  cast 
out  by  his  brethren  ;  Moses  a  type  of  Christ,  because  he  was  a  deliverer  from 
bondage ;  Joshua  a  type  of  Christ,  because  he  was  a  conqueror  ;  Samson  a  type 
of  Christ,  because  of  his  strength  to  slay  the  lions  and  carry  off  the  iron  gates  of 
impossibilit}^ ;  Solomon  a  type  of  Christ,  in  the  affluence  of  his  dominion  ;  Jonah 
a  type  of  Christ,  because  of  the  stormy  sea  in  which  he  was  thrown  for  the  rescue 
of  others  ;  but  put  together  Adam  and  Noah  and  Melchisedec  and  Joseph  and 
Moses  and  Joshua  and  Samson  and  Solomon  and  Jonah,  and  they  would  not 
make  a  half  of  a  Christ,  a  quarter  of  a  Christ,  a  fragment  of  a  Christ,  or  the 
millionth  part  of  a  Christ. 

He  forsook  a  throne  and  sat  down  on  His  own  footstool.  He  came  from 
the  top  of  glory  to  the  bottom  of  humiliation,  and  changed  a  circumference 
seraphic  for  a  circumference  diabolic.  Once  waited  on  by  angels,  now  hissed  at 
by  brigands.  From  afar  and  high  up  He  came  down  ;  passed  meteors  swifter 
than  they  ;  by  starry  thrones,  Himself  more  lustrous  ;  past  larger  worlds  to 
smaller  worlds  ;  down  stairs  of  firmaments,  and  from  cloud  to  cloud,  and  through 
tree-tops  and  into  the  camel's  stall,  to  thrust  His  shoulder  under  our  burdens 
and  take  the  lances  of  pain  through  His  vitals,  and  wrapped  Himself  in  all  the 
agonies  which  we  deserve  for  our  misdoings,  and  stood  on  the  splitting  decks  of 
a  foundering  vessel,  amid  the  drenching  surf  of  the  sea,  and  passed  midnights 
on  the  mountains  amid  wild  beasts  of  prey,  and  stood  at  the  point  where  all 
earthly  and  infernal  hostilities  charged  on  Him  at  once  with  their  keen  sabres — 
our  Substitute  ! 

When  did  attorney  ever  endure  so  much  for  a  pauper  client,  or  physician 
for  the  patient  in  the  lazaretto,  or  mother  for  the  child  in  membranous  croup,  as 
Christ  for  us,  and  Christ  for  you,  and  Christ  for  me  ?  vShall  any  man  or  woman 
or  child  who  has  ever  suffered  for  another  find  it  hard  to  understand  this  Christly 
suffering  for  us  ?  Shall  those  whose  sympathies  have  been  wrung  in  behalf  of 
the  unfortunate  have  no  appreciation  of  that  one  moment  which  was  lifted  out 


MY  1'i:ai:i'.  i  (,i\  iv  inh)   \t)U. 


(541) 


542  FROM   MANGER  TO  THRONE. 

of  all  the  ages  of  eternity  as  most  conspicuous,  when  Christ  gathered  up  all  the 
•sins  of  those  to  be  redeemed  under  His  one  arm,  and  all  their  sorrows  under  His 
other  arm,  and  said  :  "  I  will  atone  for  these  under  my  right  arm,  and  will  heal 
all  those  under  my  left  arm?  Strike  me  with  all  thy  glittering  shafts,  O  Eternal 
Justice  !  Roll  over  me  with  all  thy  surges,  ye  oceans  of  sorrow  ! ' '  And  the 
thunderbolts  struck  Him  from  above,  and  waves  of  trouble  rolled  up  from 
beneath,  hurricane  after  hurricane,  and  cyclone  after  cyclone,  and  then  and  there 
in  presence  of  heaven  and  earth  and  hell,  yea,  all  worlds  witnessing,  the  price, 
the  bitter  price,  the  transcendent  price,  the  awful  price,  the  glorious  price,  the 
infinite  price,  the  eternal  price,  was  paid  that  sets  us  free. 

That  is  what  Paul  means,  that  is  what  I  mean,  that  is  what  all  those  who 
have  ever  had  their  heart  changed  mean  by  "blood."  I  glory  in  this  religion 
of  blood  !  I  am  thrilled  as  I  see  the  suggestive  color  in  sacramental  cup,  whether 
it  be  of  burnished  silver  set  on  cloth  immaculately  white,  or  rough-hewn  from 
wood  set  on  table  in  log-hut  meeting-house  of  the  wilderness.  Now  I  am  thrilled 
as  I  see  the  altars  of  ancient  sacrifice  crimson  with  the  blood  of  the  slain  lamb, 
and  I,eviticus  is  to  me  not  so  much  the  Old  Testament  as  the  New.  Now  I  see 
why  the  destroying  angel  passing  over  Egypt  in  the  night  spared  all  those  houses 
that  had  blood  sprinkled  on  their  door-posts.  Now  I  know  what  Isaiah  means 
when  he  speaks  of  "  One  in  red  apparel  coming  with  dyed  garments  from  Bozrah;" 
and  whom  the  Apocalypse  means  when  it  describes  a  heavenly  Chieftain  whose 
"  vesture  was  dipped  in  biood  ;  "  and  what  Peter,  the  Apostle,  means  when  he 
speaks  of  the  ' '  precious  blood  that  cleanseth  from  all  sin  ;  "  and  what  the  old, 
worn-out,  decrepit  missionary  Paul  means  when  he  cries,  "Without  shedding  of 
blood  there  is  no  remission."  By  that  blood  5'ou  and  I  will  be  saved — or  never 
saved  at  all.  In  all  ages  of  the  world  God  has  not  once  pardoned  a  single  sin 
except  through  the  Saviour's  expiation,  and  He  never  will.  Glory  be  to  God  that 
the  hill  back  of  Jerusalem  was  the  battle-field  on  which  Christ  achieved  our  liberty  ! 

The  Waterloo  of  Redemption. 

One  of  the  most  exciting  and  overpowering  days  of  my  life  was  the  day  I 
spent  on  the  battlefield  of  Waterloo.  Starting  out  with  the  morning  train  from 
Brussels,  Belgium,  we  arrived  in  about  an  hour  on  that  famous  spot.  A  son  of 
one  who  was  in  the  battle,  and  who  had  heard  from  his  father  a  thousand  times 
the  whole  scene  recited,  accompanied  us  over  the  field.  There  stood  the  old 
Hougomont  Chateau,  the  walls  dented,  and  scratched,  and  broken,  and  shattered 
by  grape-shot  and  cannon-ball.  There  was  the  well  in  which  three  hundred  djang 
and  dead  were  pitched.  There  was  the  chapel  with  the  head  of  the  infant  Christ 
shot  off.  There  were  the  gates  at  which,  for  many  hours,  English  and  French 
armies  wrestled.     Yonder  were  the  one  hundred  and  sixty  guns  of  the  English, 


FROM    MANGER   TO  THRONE.  543 

and  there  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  guns  of  the  French.  Yonder  the  Hanoverian 
Hussars  fled  for  the  woods.  Yonder  was  the  ravine  of  Ohian,  where  the  French 
cavalry,  not  knowing  there  was  a  hollow  in  the  ground,  rolled  over  and  down, 
troop  after  troop,  three  thousand  five  hundred  riders,  and  three  thousand  five 
hundred  horses,  tumbling  into  one  awful  mass  of  suffering,  hoof  of  kicking  horses 
against  brow  and  breast  of  captains  and  colonels  and  private  soldiers,  the  human 
and  the  beastly  groan  kept  up  until,  the  day  after,  all  was  shoveled  under  because 
of  the  mal-odor  arising  in  that  hot  month  of  June. 

"  There,"  said  our  guide,  "  the  Highland  regiments  lay  down  on  their  faces 
waiting  for  the  moment  to  spring  upon  the  foe.  In  that  orchard  twenty-five 
hundred  men  were  cut  to  pieces.  Here  stood  Wellington  with  white  lips,  and  up 
that  knoll  rode  Marshal  Ney  on  his  sixth  horse,  five  having  been  shot  under  him. 
Here  the  ranks  of  the  French  broke,  and  Marshal  Ney,  boot  slashed  of  a  sword, 
and  his  hat  off,  and  his  face  covered  with  powder  and  blood,  tried  to  rally  his 
troops  as  he  cried  :  '  Come  and  see  how  a  marshal  of  France  dies  on  the  battle- 
field.' From  yonder  direction  Grouchy  was  expected  for  the  French  re-enforce- 
ment, but  he  came  not.  Around  those  woods  Blucher  was  looked  for  to  re-enforce 
the  English,  and  just  in  time  he  came  up.  Yonder  is  the  field  where  Napoleon 
stood,  his  arm  through  the  reins  of  the  horse's  bridle,  dazed  and  insane,  trying 
to  remount  and  go  back."  Sce^ie  of  a  battle  that  went  on  from  twenty-five 
minutes  to  twelve  o'clock,  on  the  eighteenth  of  June,  until  four  o'clock,  wdien  the 
English  seemed  defeated,  and  their  commander  cried  out :  "  Boys,  can  you  think 
of  giving  way  ?  Remember  Old  England  !  "  and  the  tides  turned,  and  at  eight 
o'clock  in  the  evening  the  man  of  destiny,  who  was  called  by  his  troops  Old  One 
Hundred  Thousand,  turned  away  with  a  broken  heart,  and  the  fate  of  centuries 

was  decided. 

The  Great  Victory. 

No  wonder  a  great  mound  has  been  reared  there,  hundreds  of  feet  high— « 
a  mound  at  the  expense  of  millions  of  dollars  and  many  years  in  rising,  and  on 
top  is  the  great  Belgian  lion  of  bronze,  and  a  grand  old  lion  it  is.  But  our  great 
Waterloo  was  in  Palestine,  There  came  a  day  when  all  hell  rode  up,  led  by 
Apollyon,  and  the  Captain  of  our  salvation  confronted  them  alone.  The  Rider 
on  the  white  horse  of  the  Apocalypse  going  out  against  the  black-horse  cavalry 
of  death,  and  the  battalions  of  the  demoniac,  and  the  myrmidons  of  darkness. 
From  twelve  o'clock  at  noon  to  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  greatest  battle 
of  the  universe  went  on.  Eternal  destinies  were  being  decided.  All  the  arrows 
of  hell  pierced  our  Chieftain,  and  the  battle-axes  struck  Him,  until  brow  and 
cheek  and  shoulder  and  hand  and  foot  were  incarnadined  with  oozing  life  ;  but 
He  fought  on  until  He  gave  a  final  stroke  with  sword  from  Jehovah's  buckler, 
and  the  commander-in-chief  of  hell  and  his  forces  fell  back  in  everlasting  ruin, 
and  the  victory  is  ours. 


544 


FROM    MANGER  TO   THRONE. 


Doxology  to  Christ. 

Let  lis  go  forth  and  gather  the  trophies  for  Jesus.  From  Golconda  mines 
we  gather  the  diamonds,  from  Ceylon  banks  we  gather  the  pearls,  from  all  lands 
and  kingdoms  we  gather  the  precious  stones,  and  we  bring  the  glittering  burdens- 
and  put  them  down  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  say,  "All  these  are  Thine.  Thou 
art  worthy."  We  go  forth  again  for  more  trophies,  and  into  one  sheaf  we  gather 
all  the  sceptres  of  the  Caesars,  and  the  Alexanders,  and  the  Czars,  and  the 
Sultans,  of  all  royalties  and  dominions,  and  then  we  bring  the  sheaf  of  sceptres 
and  put  it  down  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  say,  "Thou  art  King  of  kings,  and 
these  Thou  hast  conquered."  And  then  we  go  forth  again  to  gather  more- 
trophies,  and  we  bid  the  redeemed  of  all  ages,  sons  and  daughters  of  the  Lord' 

~^  /A 


e:i§^__ 


Y.  M.   C.  A.    HEADQUARTERS,    NEAR  THE  JOFFA   ROAD,    AGAINST  THE 

WALLS  OF  JERUSALEM. — From  T/ie  Christian  Herald. 
Almighty,  to  come.  We  ask  them  to  offer  their  thanksgivings,  and  the  hosts  of 
heaven  bring  crown,  and  palm,  and  sceptre,  and  here  by  these  bleeding  feet  and; 
by  this  riven  side,  and  by  this  wounded  heart,  cry,  "Worthy  is  the  Lamb  who 
w  s  slain  to  receive  blessing  and  riches  and  honor  and  glory  and  power."  I 
ijjoice  to  know  that  the  whole  earth  is  yet  to  become  the  temple  of  His  praise — 
griss  and  flowers  the  tessellated  floor  of  that  temple  ;  mountains  the  pillars, 
tjpestried  with  morning  mist ;  the  ocean  the  baptismal  font ;  illimitable  forests; 
\.y\\  wind-swept  organ -pipes  ;  and  the  vast  heavens  the  dome  into  which  shall  rollj, 
as  Atlantic  surges  beat  the  beach,  the  doxology  of  ransomed  hemispheres ! 


JESUS   FOREVER 


BS2420.T151 

From  manger  to  throne  :  embracing  a  new 

Princeton  Theological  Semmary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00052  1973 


DATE  DUE 

-■m', 

Demco.  Inc.  38-293 


